Boycott, error of judgement - NPP

The Majority Group in Parliament says it considers the boycott of Parliament by the NDC MPs in protest against the arrest and detention of Mr E.T. Mensah, MP for Ningo-Prampram, by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) as an error of judgement, because no Ghanaian is above the law, the Daily Graphic writes.

The group, the paper says, made it clear that each and every Ghanaian is subject to the Constitution and that the boycott of Parliament by the NDC members would not be helpful in the strengthening of democracy.

The Deputy Majority Leader, Papa Owusu Ankomah, who expressed these sentiments at a press conference at Parliament House in Accra on Thursday, said "the Majority considers the decision of the NDC MPs unfortunate and the snide remarks about the MPs on the Majority side as most reprehensible and uncalled for".

The NDC had, at its press conference on Tuesday observed that, "the stony silence of Honourable colleagues on the Majority side is a tacit approval of this shameful act of the Executive".

Papa Owusu Ankomah said as an institution with laid down rules, regulations and procedures governing its affairs, Parliament is only "seized" with a matter when it is formally brought to its attention to enable members to debate it on the floor of the House and a decision taken on it thereafter.

"If our friends opposite genuinely and sincerely believed that there had been a breach of privileges and immunity of Honourable E.T. Mensah, and if there has been any affront to the dignity of Parliament by any individual or organization, sitting on Tuesday, May 14, provided the best opportunity for them to bring it to the attention of the House", he said.

The Deputy Majority Leader said the NDC failed to do this, and "as I speak, the full facts of their complaint have not been brought to the attention of Parliament".

He, therefore, urged the NDC MPs to reconsider their action to abstain from the work of Parliament and rather take the necessary procedural steps to enable Parliament as a body, to deal with their complaint.