Majority Leader accuses minority MPs of being micromanaged by Doe Adjaho

Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has accused the minority MPs of being micromanaged by former Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho,  in how they conduct their business on the floor.

Members of the minority walked out of the chamber on the grounds of being gagged by the Speaker, Mike Ocquaye, during the appearance of Agriculture Minister Dr.  Akoto Afriyie.

The minister was in the house to answer questions on the current situation regarding the army worm invasion in the northern part of the country, which has destroyed more than Four Thousand hectares of farmlands.

The invasion affected maize and cowpea farms in the southern sector. Government was subsequently forced by the situation to go in with chemicals to help the farmers combat the disease.   Emmanuel Asante-Krobea, the Chief Technical Advisor at the Agriculture Ministry, told newsmen “chemicals were dispatched to all the regional offices in all the regions of the south, but for the northern parts, they haven’t started planting yet.”

“We are waiting for feedback from the regional directors, as to receiving it, to be able to service the farmers and already, the regions and districts have put in place spraying gangs who are going to do the spraying the grounds. So when the chemicals arrive, straight away, they go into action.”

Dr. Afriyie’s appearance afforded the MPs the opportunity to further probe him on specific interventions put in place to ensure the worms attack does not happen. He assured the MPs, mostly majority members, “victory” over the worms has been won.

All this while minority member who felt they were been prevented from putting questions to the agriculture minister, stormed out of the house with threats of impeachment of the speaker.

They warned of dire consequences if their voices are not held.

“If the speaker thinks we should not be here to air our views we shall be ready to walkout,” Deputy Minority Leader Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed said.

But Mr. Mensah-Bonsu said the minority’s action is not strange to him because they are being controlled by former speaker Edward Doe Adjaho.

“The man thinks he is still in control,” he said, adding: “ Go and speak to Muntaka because he, Doe Adjaho, told them not to allow the press access to meeting with the electoral commission.”

But Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak dismissed the allegations and questioned the sincerity on the party of his colleague. He said it was him, Mr. Mensah-Bonsu who is being controlled by the seat of government, Flagstaff House.

“This is very unfortunate. If he is feeling the heat and cannot be Majority Leader he  should stop peddling lies,” he said

He questioned the role of the former speaker in their own issue especially when they have the strength to stand their own against the majority.