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Politics of Tuesday, 12 January 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

NDC warned of blood spillage if injuncted Assin North MP was not allowed access to parliament – MP

Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh

Besides the violence and chaos witnessed in the Speaker of Parliament election last Thursday, the New Patriotic Party is accusing the opposition National Democratic Congress of using untoward means, including threats of violence, to have their way on the night.

The NPP Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh Dompreh, in an interview on Ekosiisen monitored by GhahaWeb said, the opposition party sensed that they may lose one vote in the injuncted MP-elect for Assin North, and threatened to spill blood if he was prevented from entering the Chamber of Parliament.

“You see there was an injunction and when the Clerk of Parliament was served and he subsequently issued an order to the Marshal Department to stop the said MP-elect from entering the chamber, the minority MPs (NDC) told the Marshal Department that if the MP-elect was not allowed access to the chamber, they were going to spill blood in the house,” he said.

Mr Annor-Dompreh who is also the Chief Whip for the NPP said the NDC on the night had set out an agenda which was to deliberately force a delay of the inauguration of the 8th Parliament and the subsequent swearing-in of President Akufo-Addo for his second term.

He underscored that the NDC somehow had their way due to the exigencies of the moment but warned that same will not be tolerated on Friday, January 15, 2021, when the House reconvenes.

One of the things that contributed to the chaos last Thursday was which set of MPs were supposed to seat on the right-hand side of the Speaker.

But according to the ruling party's Chief Whip, it is obvious his party has the majority and therefore deserve to be in that part of the house. He said unlike the Thursday night, the NDC should be prepared for a real challenge if they have their sights on the majority seats come Friday.

“Our forefathers have fought and sacrificed their blood for the party. The Danquah-Busia tradition, the history of our party tells us that the father of our comrade Jake Obetsebi Lamptey was buried alive, history tells us that some of our forefathers had to sell their properties to protect the tradition and the history of the party rank and file. It has happened on many occasions but on Friday we will not sit down and watch it happen again. We know they are regrouping; we are also doing our thing. Friday, we in the majority will claim our rightful place in the chamber,” he said.

He stressed that even though his party, unlike the NDC, does not intend on using violence in any situation, they are ready and willing to use all means legal and legitimate to claim their place as a majority.

The NPP and NDC all have the same number of representatives in parliament, 137. The NPP, however, has the declared support of the only independent member in the house who is the MP for Fomena and a former member of the party.