The Minority side of Parliament have staged a boycott of the three-day orientation training programme for Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Ninth Assembly, under the auspices of the Parliamentary Training Institute.
Mr Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, the Majority Chief Whip, disclosed this to a section of journalist covering the orientation programme in Ho, saying the Minority had indicated their non-participation.
Mr Frank Annor Dompre, the Minority Chief Whip, announced in the chamber on Friday, that cost-cutting measures should be considered for venues for Parliamentary training, in line with President John Mahama’s policy on such measures.
He stated that the orientation should be done in the chamber to cut cost, rather than having to travel to Ho and staying for three days, with its associated cost implications.
Mr Dompre recounted that in the previous Parliament, the then National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority decried hosting the orientation at the Rock City in Koforidua, due to public uproar in the same spirit of cost-cutting, which formed the basis for staging their boycott.
Meanwhile, Mr Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, addressing participants, said he received a text message last night on the intention of the minority members not to participate.
He said venues for Parliamentary Training Institute (PTI) programmes had not been considered on partisan lines but solely on cost, suitability, serenity and distance, saying the reason being alluded to for the non-participation of the minority members begged the issues.
The PTI for MPs is currently underway in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, minus the minority members.
Source: GNA