Drama in Parliament as Minority caucus delays SONA by 2hrs

• President Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia exchanging greetings
with the NDC leadership after the SONA Photo: Ebo Gorman

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s much-anticipated address on the state of the nation lived up to its billing yesterday, despite the initial fear of boycott by the Minority caucus.

As expected of election year addresses, the stakes were high and signs of an event-filled day were obvious on the wall when only Members on the Majority side started filing into the chamber of the House.

Advertised to start at 10: 00 a.m. Members on the Majority side of the House, mostly in white, were seated at about 9:00 a.m. in readiness to receive the President.

On their opposite side, the chairs were empty as the Minority side of the House was nowhere to be found; not even in the lobby of the chamber block, raising eyebrows of a possible boycott by the caucus.

At about 10:00 a.m. the President, amidst tight security, arrived with his entourage, went through the security protocols and headed to the Speaker’s lobby where, the Ghanaian Times gathered, a pre-sitting meeting was held with the Minority leadership for some issues to be ironed out before proceedings commenced.

The meeting lasted till about 11:30 a.m. after which the Minority MPs started filing in one-after-the-other to receive the President’s penultimate constitutionally mandated address to the nation.

Leading the President into the chamber, cheers and jeers welcomed the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who was dressed in his green and white locally made agbada to mark the day.

After prayers, the national anthem and national pledges were said, the Speaker called the roll of dignitaries attending the address.

In attendance, as catalogued by the Speaker were the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife, the Chief Justice, former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, members of the Council of State, members of the National House of Chiefs, the Diplomatic Corps, and the clergy.

The introduction of former President John Dramani Mahama by the Speaker brought proceedings to a standstill for close to five minutes as the minority caucus, in ecstasy, sang a popular ‘jama’ song of assurance that victory awaits the opposition National Democratic Congress in the December polls.

Flanged by the President and his Vice, the Speaker had to rise to his feet, a gesture which forced the Minority caucus to end their jama session.

All was cleared, hereafter, for the President to start his address which lasted from 11:50 a.m. to 01:50 p.m.

The President, in his presentation, touched on peace and security in Ghana and in the sub-region, his commitment to a peaceful election, education, energy, digitalisation, justice delivery, roads and transportation, trade amongst others.

His presentation was punctuated by cheers by the Majority and hecklings by the Minority as he occasionally taunted them.

In the view of President Akufo-Addo, his administration has delivered on its mandate despite the challenges it has encountered with many more to do.

The debate of the President’s message is expected to start on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI