The NDC’s Sammy Gyamfi has explained the rationale behind the Minority caucus’s boycott of Parliament Tuesday, February 27, 2024, prior to President Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation address.
Before proceedings to welcome the President to begin the address, the Minority caucus staged a walkout from the House which took the intervention of former President John Dramani Mahama for them to return.
Explaining the move, the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said the Minority Members of Parliament walked out to register their displeasure with President Akufo-Addo’s refusal to assent to the Private Members’ Bills that were passed by Parliament.
He said the MPs deemed the President’s posture as a sign of disrespect which influenced their decision not to give him a hearing yesterday.
“Respect is reciprocal and the laws of the land requires our parliamentarians to also make laws and many of such has happened under Speaker Bagbin, that is the Private Members’ Bill. One of such bills is the Anti-Gay Bill. But whenever Parliament makes such laws President Akufo-Addo says he won’t sign. So, the lawmakers refused to listen to him for not having respect for them. But former President Mahama spoke to them to forgive and they heeded to his counsel and attended the SONA,” Sammy Gyamfi explained.
After the passage of the Armed Forces and Witchcraft bills, President Akufo-Addo refused to assent to them citing the financial implications of the bill on the state, including the fact that the bills should have come from the Executive and not private members.
The decision was criticised by many including the Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin who said the President’s stance was a threat to future Private Members Bills.
Bagbin tackles Akufo-Addo’s position on Criminal Offences, Armed Forces Amendment Bills
