Following a recent article authored by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the 29 Ghanaian migrants stranded in Spain, the Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye, has directed that the North Tongu MP cannot be granted opportunity on the floor to speak to the issue.
According to the Speaker, his decision to deny Mr. Okudzeto the opportunity to speak to the matter has become necessary due to his media criticisms of governmen’s inability to handle the 29 Ghanaians being kept in a refugee camp in Spain and his failure to present his statement on the floor of the house.
He indicated that it is unacceptable for parliamentarians to make their statements in the media before addressing it on the floor of the house.
Mr. Oquaye again state that members must apply the rules of Parliament to help in ensuring order in their activities on the floor of Parliament.
Related: Parliament is not a monarchy-Okudzeto tells Oquaye
Before the speaker’s ruling, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mohammad Habibu Tijani, in a statement on the floor, indicated that Mr. Okudzeto’s claim of 29 Ghanaian nationals seeking asylum in Spain due to the government’s neglect lacks evidence.
Mr. Tijani revealed that Ghana’s Embassy in Spain is in consultation with the Spanish Foreign Ministry as well as non-governmental organisations to address the challenge.
In the Deputy Minister’s concluding statement, he added that Ghana’s Embassy has provided elaborate details about the unfortunate circumstances that led to the present condition of the 29 Ghanaians.
In the speaker’s ruling, he stated that “any member who intends to bring a matter before the house, must come to the house and not turn it into a gallery of media play”.
Mr. Ablakwa, who doubles as the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee had embarked on a mission to Spain on migration issues.
According to his findings, 29 young Ghanaians used unapproved routes to make their journey to Spain and are faced with serious challenges which need urgent attention.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
