General News of Friday, 3 February 2006

Source: GNA

Minority asks newspaper to correct wrong impression

Accra, Feb. 3, GNA- Mr Edward Doe-Adjaho, Deputy Minority leader in Parliament, on Friday raised concerns over a newspaper headline, which sought to suggest that the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had hired the services of thugs to disrupt proceedings in the House yesterday, in line with its opposition to the passage of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, currently before Parliament.

The Deputy Minority leader said the "impression carried by the Daily Guide is not true...No NDC thug stormed Parliament yesterday." Mr Doe-Adjaho said the newspaper, with a headline titled "NDC Thugs Storm Parliament-police quiz three over guns," sought to suggest that ordinary citizens who had sat through proceedings in Parliament yesterday at the Public Gallery were thugs employed by the NDC to cause havoc.

He said he just wanted a correction for now and did not want to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee of Parliament. "I do not want to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.....I have the right under the Standing Orders of the house to request that the matter be referred to the Privileges committee," Mr Doe-Adjaho said.

Mr Freddy Blay, the First Deputy Speaker, who sat in for the Speaker said: "Feel free to do what you want... it is your right to refer the matter to the privileges committee". He, however, said he would carry the concerns of the NDC to the editor of the newspaper.