A legislator's shocking revelation: 80% MPs are womanisers

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains North, Emmanuel Aboagye Didieye, yesterday bolted away from Parliament in typical ‘Usain Bolt’ fashion, for fear of being dragged before the Privileges Committee over a statement he made earlier on Adom FM, alleging that 80% of his colleague MPs were “extreme womanisers.”
The MP for Bimbilla, Dominic Bingab Aduna Nitiwul, before the commencement of Public Business in the House, drew the Speaker’s attention to Mr. Didieye’s ‘loose’ talk. Immediately the issue was raised on the floor of the House, Mr. Didieye sneaked out of the Chamber to escape the wrath of his colleague MPs, who were furious over his comments on Adom FM, made on March 17th and 18th 2011, respectively. But his vanishing act even worsened the situation. The Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Dome-Kwabenya, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye, who conducted the affairs of the House, ordered him to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament, after a thorough search for him in the House had proved futile. Mr. Nitiwul had dared the Afram Plains North MP, who was calmly slouching in his seat in the Chamber, to name and shame MPs he (Didieye) claimed to be “extreme womanisers”, or withdraw and apologise to Parliament.
“I stand on authority, and say that if you are a thief, at least symptoms should begin from your house. You can ask all the pretty women in Parliament whether I, Dominic Nitiwul, have ever talked to them, much more want to go out with them. He can go and find out. And for him to say that at least 80% of members of parliament are womanisers is uncalled for.”
“Womanisers are not women, they are men. Women are close to 20% of parliament, and that means that every Member of Parliament, who is a male here, is a womaniser. I want the honourable here to stand up to name and shame, or withdraw and apologise to Parliament, or I will propose that he be dragged to the Privileges Committee, and we will debate that report before we rise,” charged the furious looking Nitiwul. The Afram Plains North MP, on Adom FM’s ‘Dwaso Nsem’, alleged that with the exclusion of female MPs, most of his colleague MPs use their resources to chase women, especially, the “small girls, and even married women in the streets”. He could not, however, name any MP as an example to buttress his claim. According to him, he was once a womaniser, but stopped after realising that the practice was an immoral act. Male journalists were also not spared by the quiet looking MP, who hardly contributes to debates on the floor of the House. “Because they (journalists) are popular and famous, they use their offices as an advantage in chasing girls. Most male journalists have more than four girlfriends at a time.” This attitude is an ordinary instinct in men, which does not change even if tomorrow you become a Member of Parliament.” Even pastors talk about how to resist the temptation of chasing women,” he told Adakabre Frimpong, host of Adom FM’s ‘Dwaso Nsem’ program. His revelation came to his colleague MPs as shock, with some insisting that he be dragged before the Privileges Committee. “I will want to rise on the point of privilege. For far too long, when outsiders denigrate this House, we come here shouting with one voice against such denigration, how much more for such a person who should know better. “It is sad when matters of this nature are being raised, and members of the opposite side will encourage such a member to walk out from the Chamber. Such an irresponsible statement should not have come out of the member on air. I will propose that the member be dragged to the Privileges Committee, and we will produce the tapes,” said Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, MP for Manhyia. However, the Majority Leader, Cletus Avoka, pleaded with the Speaker to enable the Members have access to the recorded tape, to enable them make an informed decision over the matter. According to him, Mr. Didieye cannot easily be dragged before the Privileges Committee when the leadership of the House does not have the content of his alleged statement. “At the moment, it is hanging, it is on air, but we want to have information about the issue before the matter could be sent to the Privileges Committee. Let us trace the source of the alleged statement, and the leadership of the House will critically look at the whole issue, and decide on it,” noted Mr. Avoka. His plea was, however, not taken by the Speaker, who insisted that there was enough evidence before the House to decide on the matter, after Mr. Nitiwul named two members who were in the studios of Adom FM when the incident occurred, to buttress his argument.
“Honourable members, our country will not be engaged in the pollution of politics. It is increasingly becoming a sad custom that in politics, people can say anything. They give the impression that politics is a dirty game. That is not so.
“There are decent people in politics. And it cannot be allowed to become the norm and the political culture of Ghana that in politics you can lie about anyone, say any dirty thing about somebody any time, just because it is politics. “It will augur very badly for the governance of our nation. There should be men and women with dignity who want to enter into politics and serve their nation. In fact, after service to God, the next service is service to the nation, and that is why soldiers go and even die for their country. “People who are duly trained, and who have served in various capacities, should be able to bring the experience they have gathered over the years to serve their nation in politics, and as representatives of the people, even in Parliament, without even having the privilege to insult them anyhow and mar their well-acquired reputations overnight, just because it is politics. It cannot be true. “I will refer this matter before the Privileges Committee. The Honorable Nitiwul has given us enough prima facie evidence to work upon,” noted Mr. Oquaye. He added: “It is noteworthy that when the honourable member who lodged this complaint, members saw the Afram Plains North MP, Mr. Aboagye Didieyie leave the honourable House. I am told by the leader that all attempts to bring him back have failed. “He is, therefore, referred to the Privileges Committee accordingly. This matter will be reported back in one week from today, as a very serious matter, and for appropriate steps to be taken.