Ablakwa slams NPP MPs as 'childish' for absenteeism in Parliament

Ghanaian

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has strongly criticized the Members of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their absence following Speaker Alban Bagbin’s recall of Parliament on 7th November 2024.

In an interview on Metro TV, Ablakwa called the MPs' actions "childish," likening their behavior to the

Read full articleantics of the cartoon characters ‘Tom & Jerry’.

He questioned why Parliamentarians could not approach the country’s critical issues with maturity, stressing that their actions were undermining the public's trust. "Why can’t we solve these problems as adults?" he asked, expressing deep frustration at the behavior of the MPs and the impact it has had on the people of Ghana.

Ablakwa, who serves as the Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs, went on to highlight the urgency of pressing national concerns such as unemployment, the cholera outbreak, and illegal mining (Galamsey). He pointed to a recent Afrobarometer report revealing that 41% of Ghanaians are worried about unemployment.

"All these 'Tom and Jerry' games, how does it solve the unemployment crisis?" he questioned. "Do you know Cholera is back in our system with a bang? We are in a health crisis. People are dying. Galamsey, Li 2462. We have pressing issues, urgent issues," he lamented, calling for a shift in focus.

Speaker Alban Bagbin, who had recalled Parliament to address urgent matters, had to adjourn the house indefinitely due to the absence of the Majority caucus. The failure of the Business Committee to prepare the necessary agenda also contributed to the stall in proceedings.

Speaker Bagbin expressed his disappointment, pointing out that the NPP MPs' absence had effectively blocked the legislature's ability to work on the nation's most urgent matters.

The session, which was expected to address key national issues, could not proceed due to the absence of the Majority MPs. This has raised further concerns over the government’s ability to effectively address the country's growing crises, especially with the upcoming elections.