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Member of Parliament for Bodi Constituency in the Western Region, Hon. Sampson Ahi says the behaviour of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Prof. Mike Aaron Oquaye shows he wants to make Parliament an extension of his party [NPP] headquarters.

According to him, the Speaker of Parliament is being partisan and bias in his approach to the Minority side of the House, as he is deliberately denying the Minority leader of carrying out his responsibility.

Speaking in an interview on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Hon. Sampson Ahi inquired from the Majority Leader Hon. Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu to mention for once when he was ever denied as Minority leader by Rt. Hon Doe Adjaho to ask only one question after Hon. Dominic Nitiwul [then Deputy Minority leader] had asked his question.

“What is dangerous is that the Speaker of Parliament wants to make Parliament an extension of NPP Headquarters, but we won’t allow him to do that. He is so partisan and bias in his dealing with us [Minority in Parliament]. Why will the Speaker deny the Minority leader the opportunity to ask many questions except one? It has never happened and it never happens,” he fumed.

He urged the Majority leader to speak with honesty and then condemn the actions of the Speaker of Parliament; revealing that when the issue with the Agric Minister happened, Hon. Osei-Kyei Mensah -Bonsu promised to prevail upon the Speaker to treat the Minority leader fairly.

“If the Speaker treated the Minority leader fairly, why will he prevail on the Speaker? When you come to Parliament to do partisan politics you will be embarrassed. When they brought the Special Prosecutor bill to Parliament, per our standing orders every bill must be gazetted and lasted for 14 days before it will be introduced to Parliament, but this particular bill was not gazetted and when the Minority leader prompted him about the illegality involved the Speaker refused to take the good advice. When we threatened to go to the Supreme Court, they quickly withdrew the bill; what a disgrace!” he said.

He was of the firm believe that the current Speaker of Parliament has made his mind to disrespect everyone from the Minority side of the House, explaining why he did not allow the Minority leader to continue with his submission on the floor of the House after Hon. K.T Hammond called in for Point of Order.

“If he [Speaker of Parliament] shows respect to us, we will reciprocate the same gesture. He is a lawyer and a Reverend Minister and so we thought he was going to help strengthen our democracy in Parliament but rather he is taking us back on that path. We won’t allow him to infringe on our right and freedom in Parliament.” 

"We can assure him that he didn't bring us into Parliament and he is not the one who drafted the laws in Parliament; is the law his property? Past Speakers of Parliament did not behave the way he is behaves in the House," he slammed.

Parliament has dismissed claims by the Minority that the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, is biased against them when conducting business of the House.

Last Thursday, the Minority voiced their frustration and disenchantment that the Speaker exhibited naked bias against them when the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, appeared on the floor of Parliament to answer questions on the Planting for Food and Jobs programme of the government.

But a statement signed by the acting Director of Public Affairs, Parliament House, Ms Kate Addo, said the accusations against the Speaker were untrue