Cassava Legs In Parliament

The Member of of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa Nsuaem, Gifty Eugenia Kusi on Wednesday introduced a new expression into the lexicon of English vocabulary when she claimed the Ghanaian translation of ‘Cassava Legs’ is an English figurative phrase meaning “people with nice, beautiful and fast legs”. Mrs. Kusi, leader of the women’s caucus in Parliament, was under intense pressure from the House, especially the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) side, to explain the expression, which she had apparently used figuratively against those who criticised the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) at the initial stage.

The incident occurred during the adoption of the report of the committee on poverty reduction strategy on the 2006 annual progress report of the implementation of the growth and poverty reduction strategy. It was when the MP had the opportunity to contribute to the motion that she said the NHIS had become a great success story contrary to the skeptical views expressed by some rumour mongers “who should bow their heads in shame”. As expected, the Minority Leader, Alban Bagbin, whose contribution preceded Mrs. Kusi’s, challenged the latter on why she described those who criticised the scheme as rumour mongers who should bow their heads in shame.

Following Bagbin’s intervention, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, asked Mrs. Kusi to explain her expression. She stated that her statement had been misconstrued as the allusion was not to the minority side but to “those who run as far as their cassava legs could carry them.” At that juncture, it was as if she had added fuel to fire as most NDC members were on their feet to protest her use of what they deemed “un-parliamentary language”. The MP for Wa West, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, described the expression as not “decorous and not civil,” and appealed to the Speaker to call Mrs. Kusi to order. After more protests from the NDC side, the Tarkwa Nsuaem MP finally blurted:

“Mr. Speaker, I’m speaking English and in English, there are figurative expressions. I read this one from Practical English,” a series of English Language textbooks used in West African secondary schools for several years until the 1990s. She then proceeded to say that the expression “means fast, nice and beautiful legs”.

Though her explanation drew much laughter from both sides of the House, Akua Dansua, Deputy Minority Whip, told Mrs. Kusi that it was the majority side that had the so-called “cassava legs” and not the minority, as she (Gifty) sought to portray. Dr. Alhasan Yakubu of Mion also wanted Gifty to give him an appropriate reference book from which he could get the expression for better understanding. He was however ruled out by the Speaker. After resolving her linguistic tussle, Mrs. Kusi then had the peace of mind to continue her contribution in which she commended government for all development projects initiated since coming to power some seven years ago.

Other parliamentarians had earlier made their contributions by either commending or condemning government, depending on the side from which they came. Earlier in the day, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Joe Ghartey and Alban Bagbin had strongly debated who was a senior colleague to whom. The argument started when Bagbin, while contributing to the poverty reduction motion, said there were unusual delays when people wanted to register their businesses at the Registrar-General’s Department. He claimed some people had to wait for as long as three months before getting registered.

Mr. Ghartey, on the other, countered the issue on the grounds that he being the senior-most lawyer in the country by virtue of his position was more informed on the issue than Bagbin and that the Minority Leader’s claims on the matter were unfounded. The mention of the word “senior” obviously did not sit well with the Minority Leader and MP for Nadowli West, who was called to the Bar in 1982, six years before Ghartey. The Attorney-General (AG) told Hon. Bagbin that he was “the primus inter pares of all lawyers” and that no matter how long one had been called to the Bar before him (Ghartey), he was the senior-most as long as he remained the AG.

“He must be aware that whether or not he is the Attorney-General, he is still my junior,” said Bagbin. Hon. Ghartey told Hon. Bagbin that he respected him in his capacity as the Minority Leader in Parliament, but reminded him that there was a difference between Parliament and the Office of AG. As usual, the Speaker, playing the role of an honest broker, called for a truce between the two legal luminaries of opposing political persuasions for proceedings to continue.