The member of parliament for North Tongu constituency, Hon. Samual Okudzeto Ablakwa has descended heavily on president Nana Akuffo Addo, describing his deployment of gun wielding security personnel and armoured vehicles to parliament as not a true democrat.
The MP did not take lightly the 6,000 armed security personnel presence at parliament house today, 5th, January 2021 for the build up to the swearing-in and inauguration of the 8th parliament and president elect Nana Akuffo Addo.
Hon. Ablakwa who took to his Facebook handle indicated that it is needless, excessive, gestapo and despotic to deploy such security to parliament against their standing Orders in Order 30. He emphasised that ” True democrats seek refuge in the legitimacy offered by the masses and not in the deceptive protection offered by guns and armoured vehicles “.
He then noted that in as much as the security personnel might be in breach of privilege or contempt of Parliament against Order 30 stated below in his writeup, “Parliament as the bastion of democratic freedoms must at all times reflect what is beautiful about representative democracy devoid of ugly intimidation by threat of force which is the hallmark of tyrants and dictators”.
Hon. Ablakwa further stressed that “The people of Ghana including my beloved constituents of North Tongu did not vote for cowards. We refuse to be intimidated and we are determined to stand up against this affront to the dignity of Parliament and the good people we represent”.
Read his full post below ;
What really is the essence of the needless, excessive, gestapo and despotic security deployment to Parliament House when our Standing Orders are clear in Order 30 as quoted below:
“The following acts or conduct shall constitute a breach of privilege or contempt of Parliament –
I) causing or effecting the arrest of a Member or officer of Parliament during the proceedings of Parliament or in the course of his duties;
J) molestation of Members or officers in connection with the performance of their duties in or out of Parliament;
L) attempted intimidation by threats of Members in the conduct of their duties.”
Parliament as the bastion of democratic freedoms must at all times reflect what is beautiful about representative democracy devoid of ugly intimidation by threat of force which is the hallmark of tyrants and dictators.
Let those few service commanders impetuously pursuing misguided instructions be informed that per the Standing Orders of Parliament they are in contempt of Parliament and shall be in even more trouble if they attempt to arrest or molest any Member of Parliament as we carry out our legitimate constitutional duties.
The people of Ghana including my beloved constituents of North Tongu did not vote for cowards. We refuse to be intimidated and we are determined to stand up against this affront to the dignity of Parliament and the good people we represent.
That said, let us all be mindful of the erosion of our hitherto sterling democratic credentials and the terrible precedents being set today.
True democrats seek refuge in the legitimacy offered by the masses and not in the deceptive protection offered by guns and armoured vehicles.
Filed By Agaatorne Douglas Asaah / awakenewsroom.com
