The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday morning boycotted the delivery of the 2020 State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to Parliament, at Osu, Accra.
Moments after the arrival of the President in the parliamentary chamber and the playing of the National Anthem, members of the Minority, clad mostly in black mourning clothes, against white worn by members from the Majority chanted a line in the National Anthem, “and help us to resist oppressors rule with all our will and might forever more,’ and began existing the chamber.
The refrain of the Minority was equalised by those on the Majority with” Four more for Nana.”
Some members on the Majority side made unsuccessful attempts to dissuade the Minority from exiting, but the recalcitrant Minority was joined in later by members on its the front bench, to leave the chamber.
And when all members on the Minority Side exited the chamber, the Majority Side sang “Away, away away.“Bye, bye, bye; kor (go), kor kor.”
Some members of the Majority moved to the empty seats on the Minority side, removed and tore the papers with inscriptions criticizing the ruling Government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), its policies and performance, that covered the seats.
The Majority then sang: “All for you; Nana, all for you. All for you; Nana, all for you. We dey like you Nana, we dey love you Nana, we dey love Nana o, all for you,” as some members from that side moved to occupy the empty seats.
Speaker of Parliament Prof Aaron Michael Oquaye, acknowledged all including; former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama, and Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, wife of former President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory.
President Akufo-Addo, delivering the SONA, has among other things assured the nation that his Government would continue with prudent management of the economy, and would not give up in the fight against illegal small scale illegal mining.
Also, the fight against corruption would be vigorously pursued, the President said, declaring “no one will be spared,” which attracted a wild “hear hear,” from the only Majority Side.
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GNA
