Former MP of the Tema East constituency, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus- Glover has stated that, Gabby Asare Otchere- Darko, legal counsel of the finance minister, went overboard with how he expressed himself at the ad-hoc meeting of the Minister’s censure which happened on the 15th of November 2022.
As a former member of parliament, Mr. Glover stated that parliamentarians usually have a very jovial and friendly relationship with one another, but when it comes to the business of the house, the parliamentarians treat these matters in a more serious and frank manner.
According to the former MP, Gabby might be joking, but Okudzeto also took it to a differently. Mr. Glover said that from his point of view, the comment passed by Gabby Otchere- Darko towards Okudzeto could be seen as a joke.
“This is the first time that we are seeing such an exercise in the house; in the 1992 constitution, in the parliamentary that we are having. We’ve never had an opportunity where a sitting minister of state is being censured, and for that matter, walking through this process.”
Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover
He mentioned that Gabby was a “stranger” amongst the parliamentarians, therefore he did not have the power to determine how things were done in the meeting.
“By our rules you can ask any other question that you want to ask, it is only the chairman or the speaker who can determine whether this question you’re asking or this statement you’re making is erroneous or not.”
Daniel NiI Kwartei Titus Glover
Mr. Glover urged the two parties to look into the matter “as it is” and deal with it in the absence of any unnecessary tension within the work that they are doing.
Gabby’s Conduct Was Appalling
Meanwhile, MP for Tamale Central constituency, Honorable Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, agreed with Titus Glover’s opinion on Gabby Otchere’s misconduct at the meeting. He stated that the conduct of Gabby Otchere- Darko, counsel of the finance minister, was appalling and bizarre.
He also said that Gabby Otchere-Darko came across as a very arrogant person, because of two disrespectful statements he made at the meeting.
He mentioned that parliament is the representative of the 32 million people in Ghana, therefore the activities that go on in parliament are more important activities than any other thing. According to him, he thinks that Gabby was belittling the work of the parliament.
“Another issue, when he said ‘you must as well hold a press conference’, that was not a disrespect to Honorable Okudzeto, but it was disrespect to the committee of parliament, disrespect to the Speaker and disrespect to parliament.”
Hon. Murtala Muhammed
Hon. Murtala argued that Gabby ought not to have made such a statement, not because he is not a member of parliament, but because it was not right for any other person to do so. He further stated that he was glad that Titus-Glover indicated Gabby’s misconduct, adding that Gabby could have made the statement in a different way than what he said.
“The figures he was reporting in the 2021 budget, we raised the issue that he was under-reporting. 2022 we raised, same and the NPP communicators including spokesperson; those numerous spokespersons who are paid with our taxes, huge sums of monies, they came to the defense of the minister that he wasn’t under reporting.”
Hon. Murtala Muhammed
The MP stated that the minister of finance was sincere to the IMF about the figures during the financial reporting, and he should have been sincere with the parliament as well. Hon. Murtala also mentioned that the finance minister was being evasive and uningenious in some instances.
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