Bosome-Freho to be punished for MPs "sins"

Deputy Energy Minister swerves cost of bantering
Accra, Feb. 13, GNA - Mr Kobina Tahiru Hammond, Deputy Minister of Energy, on Tuesday shocked his colleague MPs when he said the Ministry of Energy would not send electricity to Bosome-Freho, as "punishment" for the Member of Parliament for the area calling the Speakers' attention that he (Mr Hammond) was chatting while a matter concerning his ministry was under discussion.

Mr Hammond who was then in a chat with Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Majority Chief Whip and Mr Kwame Osei-Prempeh, Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice signalled to his colleagues that he had taken note of what Nana Yaw Ofori Kuragu was saying.

Nana Kuragu was contributing to the President's State of the Nation Address in which he talked about the energy sector and efforts to reach out to the rural areas and was also pleading to the Ministry to consider his constituency during the roll out of the rural electrification project.

Nana Kuragu noted in his contribution that the deputy Energy Minister was chatting while a matter concerning his ministry was under discussion.

At this point, Mr Hammond rose on a point of order and told the House that, by his training and experience he could listen and do different things all at the same time and did indeed, hear all that Nana Kuragu was saying.

After this intervention when Nana Kuragu was continuing his submission, Mr Osei-Prempeh, on a point of order, drew the attention of the Speaker that Mr Hammond was seriously engaged in a chat with Mr Bonsu and therefore had no point in saying that the people of Bosome-Freho would not enjoy electricity as a form of punishment for their MP's remarks about the deputy Energy Minister.

But Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes ruled Mr Osei-Prempeh out of order.

Later, Mr Hammond after consulting the leadership of the Majority side sought to withdraw his statement that the Bomsome-Freho constituency was not going to get power as a punishment for the remarks by their MP.

" ... Mr Speaker my fear is that my statement has been captured in the Hansard and wish that it be withdrawn ...".