Minister for Communications, Digitalisation, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has called for a thorough investigation into derogatory comments made against the late former President Jerry John Rawlings and his daughter, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings.
Speaking on Joy News’ Newsfile, Sam George insisted that Parliament must identify the individual responsible for referring to Dr. Rawlings as the “daughter of a murderer.”
“Parliament is investigating. I think that we need to get to the bottom of that,” he said. “I am clear about where the voice came from. It came from behind Afenyo-Markin, and there’s a portion of the house where we heard the voice from if you sit in the chamber, you know.”
His comments come after a voice was heard saying, “Daughter of a murderer, sit down,” apparently referring to Dr Zanetor Rawlings while the minority leader, Afenyo-Markin, was speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, February 4.
Many have speculated about the identity of the Member of Parliament (MP) who made the remarks, but they have come out to deny the allegations. Anlo chiefs and Klottey Korle residents have also petitioned the speaker of parliament over the MP’s identity.
Adding his voice to calls for investigations, the MP for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, urged the Marshals Department to review CCTV footage and conduct forensic voice analysis to pinpoint the culprit.
“Apart from the cameras that broadcast, we’ve got CCTV cameras in the chamber. The Marshalls department must produce the CCTV footage of the chamber. It would allow us to see because nobody could have made those comments without some kind of gesticulation.”
Expressing his dismay, Sam George said, “I am embarrassed by it. As MPs, we bear the title ‘honourable,’ but that conduct was dishonourable. This incident casts a slur on all 275 members sworn into Parliament, especially those present in the chamber that day.”
He criticised what he described as double standards in parliamentary discipline.
“We are quick to summon someone before the Privileges Committee for calling an MP’s action ‘silly’; meanwhile, we think it’s okay for an MP to make such a despicable comment about a colleague and a former president. No, that’s double standards.”
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