Charles Owusu has slammed the Minister of Communications and Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful for throwing a tantrum at the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Murtala Mohammed on the floor of the Legislative House.
A heated clash broke out in Parliament on Wednesday, July 5, when the MPs were debating the anti-LGTBQ+ bill which seeks to criminalize homosexual acts in Ghana.
The bill is to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values.
It bans lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and all related activities, therefore offenders will face a jail term or fine or both.
While the MPs were debating the bill, Hon. Ursula Owusu directed the mind of the Speaker to a distasteful statement she believed she had heard clearly made by her colleague MP referring to her as a practitioner of homosexuality.
The Speaker drew the attention of Hon. Murtala Mohammed and asked him to retract his comment but he refused to withdraw the statement, telling the House he had made no such comment.
"I said so many things, may I please know which one I should withdraw," he said but the comment Hon. Ursula Owusu strongly believed to have heard her colleague MP say infuriated her, thus giving the latter a corrosive reply.
"Mr. Speaker, I sat here and repeatedly heard Murtala refer to me as an LGBTQ+ practitioner to the hearing of everyone in the House. I sat here and repeatedly heard him shout at the top of his voice and refer to me as a practitioner of LGBTQ and every single last one of you is behaving as if you didn't hear. And if in response to that I say he is mad.
"It is only a mad man who will refer to his colleague in this House as a practitioner of LGBTQ when you haven't seen me having sexual intercourse with your wife or your daughter or your mother. When you haven't caught me having sexual intercourse with your wife or your daughter or your mother, you sit there and refer to me in those terms and we call ourselves honorable members of this House when you hear it and pretend that suddenly you've lost your sense of hearing", she replied.
To Charles Owusu, he wished the Minister had exercised patience and not spewed those unparliamentary words.
He advised Hon. Ursula Owusu to take note that two wrongs don't make a right and that the behaviour she exhibited doesn't suit her character.
"I'm not supporting whichever word Murtala used but you see, when you look at the anger that my dear sister was exhibiting on Television, it doesn't befit the character of the person I know. Sometimes, we will be angered but we should have the patience to control ourselves," he said while discussing the matter on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.
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Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Charles, I love your submissions on both Ekosiisen and Peace FMs Kokrokoo on Fridays. There are times it's better to look straight in a ***barred word***.s face and tell him he is one. Hon Murtala Mohammed is a typical bully even when he represents NDC on various radio and TV stations. Hon Ursula should have exercised restraint in her un-parliamentary words (insults) against Hon. Murtala but he deserves it. Maybe this might change his attitude toward others. Ghana is for all of us not NPP and NDC.
There are elements of the NDC MPs who can only articulate well in the Queen's language, but only for the purpose of opposing everything that comes from the ruling party. It's very disgusting to hear them speak as if they are illiterate because their debating skills lack substantive intellectual cohesion, which belies someone who has a university education. I think a lot of Ghanaians know that the category of MPs consists mostly of those whom a former president described as boys with sharp teeth. It is a pity that they have reduced opposition politics to baseless propaganda, polemics, and insults defaming their opponents.
Homosexuality is a crime in Ghana and for Murtala to accuse a colleague MP of being Homosexual practitioner is beyond believe. Yet the Speaker only asked Murtala to withdraw and MPs sat down unconcerned. Murtala brought the House into disrepute. Murtala should be referred to the privileges Committee for action. Withdrawal is not enough. Civil Society should complain about Murtala's strange behaviour towards our women MPs to Parliament. This has a strategic effect of deterring our women from going into politics. For Charles Owusu, he is a little mind and should be ignored.
Charles Owusu what are you even saying?? are you listening to yourself talk, you think murtala is blame free yet Ursula who only returned his silliness is to blame??? get a grip on yourself dude, take a hike!!
If Murtala lives and work in the UK, he would have lost his job by now. This behaviour would not have been tolerated one moment by his own political party members and MPs. Murtala must change otherwise he is going to have a lot of problems with this kind of bullying and misogynist behaviour. For Charles Owusu, he got it wrong and indeed behave like an ***barred word*** African in the UK who is bullied at workplace by his white colleagues without fighting back. How can Charles says two wrongs do not make right in this case? Complete misapplication of old wise Ghanaian wise saying. Anyway, Charles, we are in the 21st Century and this submissive behaviour at workplace causes stress to co-workers and are not tolerated anymore.
Murtala's behavior is unbecoming of a member of Parliament. This is not the first time he's having heated exchanges with Ursula Owusu. I remember a similar incident happened between the two of them in the corridors of parliament and the speaker had to talk to them to let cool heads prevail. U fortunate this time again it was Murtala who fired the first shot at Ursula again. It doesn't speak well of him. The earlier he puts a stop such an uncultured behavior, the better. How will Murtala feel if someone were to accuse his mother or sister as a homosexuality practitioner without evidence to support the claim?
Murtala always has problem with women expressing their opinions. This is not the first time. He once had an issue with Serwaa Amihere. In his world, a woman is not qualified to question him thats why why he heckled and unsulted Ursula for speaking. He is a village champion.
I am sorry but Charles this is the very definition of misogyny and bigotry!!! You have failed to call Murtala to order just because he is a man and yet you are happily chastising Ursula for defending herself and standing against those vile and insults hurled at her by that lesser being called Murtala. You appear to be birds of the same feathers so I am not surprised of that stance you have taken.
Charles one sided statement. I wonder how some of us have started thinking in this country. Someone either insults you first and u reply and everyone is on your neck that u are wrong. Have we started thinking backwards.
Ursula's comments and choice of words were spot-on! But I blamed egotistic speaker for that drama because he pretended he hadn't heard it Yet he goes visiting organizations with an unashamed view of listening to their challenges. That man deludes himself into thinking he is a de facto leader of this country. Charles, by the way, you talked too much and yet have accomplishment in political party success in Ghana. Leave Ursula alone! Murtala ye ogyimifo!!