Parliament has appealed to citizens to be mindful of the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the public in its gallery, even as they express their grievances over the planned construction of the luxurious $200 million Chamber for lawmakers.
The House made the appeal in a statement signed by its Acting Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo, in reaction to the disruption caused to proceedings in the gallery on Friday, July 5, 2019.
Three persons protesting the construction of the new chamber had shouted in the House “Drop that Chamber, ” during proceedings of the house.
One of the protesters, Ernesto Yeboah, Convenor of the Economic Fighters League, was arrested in Parliament together with two other persons for shouting “drop that Chamber.
Ghanaians have opposed plans to construct the new Chamber at an estimated cost of $200 million.
Mr. Yeboah and the two others were in custody at the Parliamentary Protection Unit as at the time of filing this report.
DGN Online’s Parliamentary correspondent, Thomas Fosu, indicated that their arrests followed a security breach in the Chamber of Parliament.
The three, according to our correspondent, in the middle of deliberations in Parliament, started shouting ‘drop that chamber’.
They were arrested around 11:00am on Friday, July 5, 2019.
Mr. Yeboah is the former Youth Organiser of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and his pressure group, the Economic Fighters League is leading the crusade against the construction of the Chamber.
Our correspondent says they were arrested by Police in the House immediately they started shouting ‘drop that Chamber.’
According to the statement from Parliament, ” the rule is that any stranger admitted to the public gallery is not allowed to take part in deliberations on the floor of the House.”
It added that “they are not allowed to engage in debates, clap nor take part in the proceedings in any form or shape.”
It further observed that Standing Order 30 provides that such things constitute a contempt of Parliament.
BY Melvin Tarlue