Parliament didn’t snub Kintampo crash victims – Speaker

The Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Oquaye has vehemently refuted accusations that the House does not care about Ghanaians in the wake of its remembrance of victims of Cyclone Idai and New Zealand shooting but not the Kintampo accident victims.

The Minority in Parliament on Monday demanded financial contributions from MPs to support victims of cyclone Idai which has left close to 800 people dead across three countries in Southern Africa.

“This goes beyond solidarity and mere words…Mr. Speaker, I propose if it pleases you, that we all as Members of Parliament make voluntary donations in cash or in kind which we should put together and donate to our fellow Africans in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe who are in dire need of our urgent assistance,” the Minority spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa said.

Member of Parliament for Kumbungu Ras Mubarak, however, found the proposal disheartening, compelling him to publicly take a dig at the House for what he said was choosing victims of tragedy elsewhere over those of the ghastly Kintampo road carnage.

At least 60 passengers lost their lives in a head-on collision involving two buses on the Kintampo – Techiman highway Friday, 22 March.

“We have all been saddened and there’s not anyone in this country who will say he has not heard that there was a gory accident that took the lives of many of our compatriots.

“So if a minute silence was not observed then it’s sad because we are representing the people and if the people are in a state of tragedy we should be seen timeous to be commiserating with them and showing concern,” Mubarak said.

The Speaker of Parliament, however, found the criticism from the Kumbungu lawmaker unfortunate stating that the House planned to have a statement from Kintampo South MP on the incident today Tuesday 26 March.

According to him, the allegation that the House was not concerned about the plight of Ghanaians is misguided stating “This Honourable House is very…very much concerned with such matters and have addressed such matters with expedition and dutifully at all relevant times.”