Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hanna Tetteh to ensure decorum in order to foster respectful debates in the House.
She says that to be able to serve their constituents effectively, the lawmakers would have to realise the importance of decency in their behaviour in the House.
“Our MPs need to understand that it is important to maintain decorum to foster respectful debate, uphold the dignity of the institution and effectively serve the interest of their constituents,” she told Johnnie Hughes in an executive interview on 3FM’s Sunrise show on Friday, February 7.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General was commenting on the chaos that occurred during the meeting of the ministerial nominees which led to the suspension of four lawmakers
The MPs are; Frank Annor Dompreh, Rockson Dafeamekpor, Hassan Tampuli, and Jerry Ahmed Shaib.
The four were suspended for their role in the chaotic scenes witnessed on the evening of Thursday, January 30 during proceedings of the Appointments Committee.
They were captured on camera pushing and shoving each other as well as pulling and dragging tables, leading to the destruction of microphones used by the Committee.
The chaos resulted from disagreement among members of the Minority and Majority sides of the Appointments Committee.
While members of the Minority felt that they had had a long day, thus could not continue vetting nominees after 10:00pm, the Majority members said the exercise could proceed without them.
The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, however, lifted the suspension on the four MPs.
The speaker’s decision followed an appeal to him by the Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Marin to lift the suspension, a plea which was supported by the Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga.
“We have cooperated with the Majority members to vet the President’s nominees in record time. We plead with you to rescind your decision,” Afenyo-Markin said.
The speaker in his ruling on Tuesday indicated that the affected MPs had shown remorse hence his decision to lift the embargo on them.
“As a father, when your son commits an offence, you don’t punish your son to the extent of breaking his leg” Bagbin said.
” I will proceed to lift the suspension of the four Members of Parliament. The MPs who were affected can now return to the chamber or join sittings,” he added.
“To whom much is given much is expected, ” he added.
