{"id":138588,"date":"2015-07-28T15:31:25","date_gmt":"2015-07-28T15:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=138588"},"modified":"2015-07-28T18:16:43","modified_gmt":"2015-07-28T18:16:43","slug":"mps-not-beyond-reproach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/07\/mps-not-beyond-reproach\/","title":{"rendered":"MPs not beyond reproach"},"content":{"rendered":"
They say the devil finds work for idle hands. The devil has been busy in Ghana\u2019s Parliament. The Privileges Committee of the House met to question\u00a0 Prof. Alex Dodoo, an Associate Professor in Clinical Pharmacology\u00a0 and the radio presenter Blakk Rasta. Both men had been accused of insulting MPs on the radio. Prof. Dodoo reportedly described MPs reaction to news of the Ebola vaccine trial in Hohoe as ignorant.<\/p>\n
Blakk Rasta had also alleged on the entertainment news that \u201c80 percent of Parliamentarians smoked marijuana\u201d\u00a0 during his campaign for the legalization of the substance. Two MPs found their comments offensive and asked the House to haul them before the Privileges Committee.<\/p>\n
The invitations were issued per the Standing Orders of the House, which apparently says: \u201cThere shall be freedom of speech, debate and proceedings in Parliament and that freedom shall not be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament.” This, according to the MPs who complained, grants MPs with the power to punish for contempt.<\/p>\n
Consequently, hearings were held. MPs were able to extract apologies from the two men as well as a withdrawal of their comments.<\/p>\n
Blakk said he was \u201con heat\u201d when he made the allegations and that he was sorry. Prof. Dodoo also apologized profusely saying \u201cI will never at any point disrespect the decision of Parliament nor, indeed, Members of Parliament; that is not my interest,\u201d he said, adding that, \u201cbut to the extent that my words, actions or inactions have led to that, I will offer to the House, members and to the people of Ghana, an unqualified apology.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the end, Prof. Dodoo was pardoned while Blakk Rasta was made to apologize again, this time to all MPs at their bar. I know that, not every apology\u2500I have offered a few insincere apologies myself\u2500so I do not begrudge them for apologizing without challenging the accusations. A small part of me\u00a0 wants to believe these apologies were offered to end the joke that was the hearing.<\/p>\n
The whole thing was absurd to watch.\u00a0 MPs are accountable to citizens, not the other way round. Their mandate to police the executive comes from the people, without us, they are nothing. All that \u2018self imposed pomposity\u2019 would be naught without us.\u00a0 They are supposed to seek our views before taking any decision and we are supposed to review their work from time to time.<\/p>\n