‘You can’t come and throw your weight about’ – Rundown of the Ablakwa vs. Gabby exchanges

On the first day of hearings by the ad hoc committee of Parliament, which was looking into a vote of censure against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, there were some heated exchanges.

These were between the chairmen and members or between regular members. In some cases, they were also between the chairmen and the minister’s lawyer, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, and between members and the minister’s lawyer. One of the most interesting scenes was between Gabby and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu Member of Parliament, who was on a committee.

The problem started when the MP started asking questions about supposed government spending that could be seen as fiscal irresponsibility, which is one of the reasons why the Minority wants to get rid of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister.

Gabby spoke up when Ablakwa tried to back up his point with the National Cathedral project. He said that the MP would be better off holding a press conference for what seemed to be a political issue that wasn’t mentioned in the seven-point censure motion.

This led to a back-and-forth between the two men for more than two minutes until other committee members and the chairmen stepped in to help.

Below is a full transcript of the conversation:

Gabby: He can hold a press conference to talk about those things. I think we’re here for other reasons, and those reasons have already been given, so let’s stick to those. You know, we’re not here to make political statements. This is not a political stage. These are very serious accusations. These are very serious accusations.

Ablakwa: Chairman, I don’t think he’d tell me how to do my job in Parliament. This is Parliament, after all. You can’t show me how to do my job in the House of Representatives.

Gabby: No, this place has rules.

Ablakwa: No, no, no. You’re not going to show me how to do my work. No, no, no, he can’t come here and act like he’s bigger than everyone else. He can’t show me how to get my work done. I strongly disagree with the idea that I should go to a press conference. I won’t go along with that.

Gabby: I only weigh 78 kg, so I won’t throw it around.

Ablakwa: And you’re not the chair, so you don’t tell people what to do.

KT Hammond: Sammy, we get what you’re trying to say.

Ablakwa: I’ll do my job. I won’t hold a press conference, and you can’t tell me how to do my job.

Mr. Speaker, I think that people who come before this committee should be told what to do. We work with a set of rules called “Standing Orders,” and if you look at them, this committee can decide not to listen to strangers.

Who is the stranger now, KT Hammond?

Ablakwa: This is what the Standing Order says about him once he is no longer a member of Parliament. The Standing Orders say this about them. You can’t tell us to go hold a press conference while we’re working. We’re here to do a job, so please don’t tell us to. Let’s make that clear.

KT Hammond: Okay, that makes sense.