The political landscape and practices in the country can be likened to a herd mentality, where members of political parties or associations often comply with the directives of their party, even when such directives or decisions are questionable or inappropriate.

It is rare to see members of these parties defy specific orders or decisions, even when they personally disagree. This is often seen as a demonstration of loyalty, where members believe that, regardless of whether the party's stance is right or wrong, they must stand by it.

However, in one of these rare instances, the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, has defied the odds and, perhaps, the directives of his caucus, the Minority, who had decided to boycott a three-day orientation program organized for members of the 9th Parliament.

The Member of Parliament of Fomena representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) attended the event in photos posted on the official handle of the Parliament of Ghana.

The lawmaker was seen speaking into the microphone, likely sharing insights, knowledge, and expertise gained over his years of service as a lawmaker and through his experience in previous governments.

His presence at the orientation, however, could be attributed to the fact that he is part of the leadership of Parliament.

Minority boycott

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the ongoing retreat at the Volta Serene Hotel in Ho, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, described the Minority's reasons—cost concerns and lack of engagement in the venue selection process—as unacceptable.

"We lost a great opportunity because the turbulence of Parliament has once again shown itself. I only saw a WhatsApp message stating that our colleagues, our brothers and sisters of the New Patriotic Party, have opted out, giving a reason that is completely unacceptable," he stated.

While the NPP caucus has also cited political motivation as the reason for the venue selection, the Speaker denied any partisanship in the selection process.

"There is good reason why we choose venues for this; it is not partisan. There is always a search party, and they go around, discuss with various hospitality providers, look at the cost component, the facilities, their suitability, and the convenience of your movement—because there is pressure on you—and they score marks before we decide where to go.

"There is no partisanship at all. This time around, the Parliamentary Service followed the same process, and the final results were brought to the Speaker. Unless I have a very good reason why it shouldn't be at that place, I simply give my approval," he stated.

MAG

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