Women caucus on the majority side condemns “bloody widow” attack in parliament…

The women caucus on the majority side in Ghana’s parliament today held a press conference to register their displeasure on the conduct displayed by the minority towards the newly elected Ayawaso West Wuogon MP, Lydia Alhassan.

Member of parliament for Dome-Kwabenya constituency who doubles as the Deputy Majority Leader Sarah Adwoa Sarfo said women on the minority side of the chamber gobbling the vicious attack on their fellow woman was below the belt.  She added that the act was unparliamentary.

” We hereby condemn in no uncertain terms the act of the minority, a rather disrespectful and inhumane treatment and an attack on the dignity and integrity of womanhood. This is brutal and unparliamentary.” Sarah Adwoa Sarfo lamented.

Lydia Alhassan who adds up to the 38 female MP’s in parliament is the wife of the late Emmanuel Agyarko, the late MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon who passed on in November 2018. Lydia Alhassan contested and won the seat.

But the minority caucus is unhappy because of the violence that characterized the supposed democratic exercise and wants a probe into the matter. The minority had also demanded that the entire results be annulled because of the disturbances.

MPs to face privileges committee

Meanwhile, First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu has directed that members of the minority who were found with “bloody widow” placards during the swearing-in of member of Lydia Seyram Alhassan are to be dragged to the privileges committee of the house.

He reviewed his decision of the minority to apologize to the house and indicated that the inscription on the placards is an affront to the dignity of the house and the honorable member.

He made references to Order 28,30 and 31 of the standing orders of the house which indicates any act or omission that affront to the dignity of parliament directly or indirectly will be termed as contempt of parliament.

Joseph Osei Owusu directed that the clerk of parliament should go through footages of Tuesday’s proceedings and identify the culprits so as to hand them over to the privileges committee for further interrogations.

By: Theresa Adezewa Ayittey – Apt News, Parliament House