Naagyei 90.3 Fm Agyapa
Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini Sayibu, Wednesday, had a taste of the powers of the Speaker of Parliament when he was ordered out of the Chamber while proceedings was ongoing.
His crime was disrupting proceedings by intermittently making noise even when the Speaker was addressing the House.
The Marshall who is always positioned in the Chamber to ensure that the Speaker’s directives of such manner are enforced quickly walked to where Suhuyini Sayibu was seated and ensured that he moves out of the Chamber.
Suhuyini Sayibu who did not protest walked out amidst shouting on top of his voice to display his unhappiness about the sanctions.
The First Deputy Speaker, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu, who presided over today’s sitting had on a number of occasions cautioned Members to minimize their voice and also comport themselves while a Member is on his or her feet contributing to the subject before the House or while he himself is commenting on an issue or making his ruling on a matter before him.
To drum home his message of not tolerating indiscipline in the House, Hon. Osei Owusu at a point, shouted on the MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyepong, who was heartily chatting with one of his colleagues to be attentive while proceedings was ongoing.
The House was considering an application brought before it by the Second Deputy Majority Whip, Matthew Nyindam, appealing to the Speaker to compel the Minority Caucus to apologize for displaying placards that had the inscription ‘Bloody Widow’ in protest over the swearing-in of the newly elected MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Seyram Alhassan.
While the Speaker had ruled that the Minority apologize over their action yesterday, a ruling which was challenged by the leadership of the NDC MPs, Suhuyini was heard shouting on top of his voice and in the process, interrupting proceedings.
It was not the first time he was doing that as his earlier interjections were ignored by the Speaker just like any other Member who was spotted to be doing same.
Suhuyini’s reaction
Suhuyini Sayibu reacting to his ordeal said “Liberty is always taken and sometimes blood would have to be shared if you stand for what is liberating and all my life I have stood for what is in my view bias, what is unfair and I don’t mind dying for that and asking me to walk is less than being killed for what I believe in”.
To him, he was given a raw deal by the Speaker since he was singled out for sanctions despite many others doing same.
Nevertheless, he said “What got to the Speaker was the truth that he spoke that “what properly he should have done was to refer those who were holding the placards to the Privileges Committee and shouted that, yes, they will go and join Hon. Kennedy Agyepong and whatever their side is doing for Kennedy Agyepong, our side will do for our people. And he saw the truth in it and couldn’t stand it so he said I should walk out. So, I don’t mind speaking the truth and getting shot let alone being asked to walk out. That for me is nothing.”
He added “It is high time as a people we all recognize what is wrong and encourage all not to engage in it. But when we begin to pick and choose – when our side is wrong, then we find all kinds of platitudes to defend it and enlighten the effect of it only to right what we consider is wrong of others and make them appear more devilish than they really see. I don’t have a problem with that. I don’t have a problem with our members being referred to the Privileges Committee. But like I said we all know what the Members who are calling for justice now are doing on the Privileges Committee as far as Kennedy Agyepong case is concerned, which is worse. Well, why not asking why the report has still not come?”.
