Mahama Ayariga Disgraces Afenyo-Markin Over Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings
Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader, has exposed his counterpart on the Minority side, Alex Afenyo-Markin, for seeking to use his side to score cheap political point.
The Effutu constituency Member of Parliament (MP) last Thursday November 27, accused the Majority side for not attending the Requiem Mass for the late former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, at the Accra Ridge Church as part of her funeral rites.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Afenyo-Markin in a vociferous manner charged the side of not making the effort to attend the programme when the daughter of the late First Lady, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, who is their colleague belongs to their side. He side neither the MPs nor government officials attended the Mass.
“Mr. Speaker, the Chief Whip of the Majority side is urging us to ensure that tomorrow we attend Her Excellency Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings’ funeral program. But Mr. Speaker, regrettably, yesterday at the Requiem Mass at Ridge Church, not a single member of the Majority side showed up. The daughter, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, is our colleague. We again did not see any government official at the Requiem Mass.
So, Mr. Speaker, if he is urging that all of us must be here early enough to attend, then I would appeal to him to encourage his side, as well as members of government, to all be in attendance. Because yesterday at the Requiem Mass, it was quite disappointing from the government side”, he said.
His claim took many of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs by surprise because according to Majority Chief Whip, the House was not invited or informed about the event and he personally did not even know about it.
The MP for the South Dayi Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Defeamekpor said, what he was aware of was the main state funeral at the Black Star Square on Friday November 29. From his response, he had even assumed the Minority Leader was present himself.
“Mr. Speaker, the Minority Leader is the leader of this House. The invitation we have is for us to attend tomorrow’s funeral. Honestly, I had no idea that there was a Requiem Mass yesterday. Honestly. Please, please. These are very serious matters. It is a state funeral. Please, don’t do that.
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the first part of what the Minority Leader, my good friend, said. But I think what he said was in very bad taste. Mr. Speaker, not too long ago, I was sitting on that side. One former member of this House, Honourable Rashid Bawa, who was one of the parliamentary candidates in the Volta Region, passed.
They did not even write a tribute to be read for him. We wrote a tribute. Not a single one of them got up to contribute to the tribute at that time. That would not have been said to be an oversight.
So trying to score a political point out of this is neither here nor there. The official program for the passing of the respected former First Lady is that we are having the funeral. We are urging everybody to make time to attend. What is the point of it? Those points being made are neither here nor there. Was Parliament invited?
So, Mr. Speaker, he can score a political point, but I can give a plethora of occasions where people from our side attended”.
After Dafeamekpor raised the point of order and made his point absolving his side of any blame, Mahama Ayariga also rose to his feet and dropped the bombshell.
According to the Bawku Central MP, he was present at the Church to participate in the Mass. He said he was not there alone but with the NDC general secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey. He said they were not only present but sat through the Service.
He then said if there was anyone that did not attend the Service, it was rather Afenyo-Markin who was laying the charge.
“Mr. Speaker, the Mass that was held yesterday was held at Ridge Church. I was there. The Honourable Afenyo-Markin was not there. Mr. Speaker, I was there with the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress. I was there before the procession of the clergy into the church, so I wasn’t late. I was there when the clergy proceeded out. So, Mr. Speaker, it is not the case that this side of the House abandoned the Mass. I was there.
So, Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we will be there in our numbers. That is all I can say, Ayariga said.
When Ayariga dropped the bombshell, the Majority side who were in the Chamber in their numbers jointly expressed total shock by shouting on top of their voices.
While this happened, Afenyo-Markin sat down quietly obviously disgraced failing to rise to defend himself earlier comment. The entire Minority side all kept mute just as their leader.
What has shocked many is why the Minority Leader who was not at the Service will attempt to accuse others of something he could not do to have the right to blame others.
By Gifty Boateng