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A Deputy Finance Minister, Fiifi Kwetey, Wednesday withdrew his comments that the New Patriotic Party's 7.3 GDP for 2008 was unsustainable unless it was 'drug-inspired'.
Fiifi's decision to withdraw the comments, tagged as unparliamentary by the minority in parliament, followed wild protestations from the minority that he withdrew the comment or the debate of the 2010 Budget faced suspension.
Mr. Kwetey on Wednesday explained that his comment being complained about, was to the effect that the economic growth (GDP) of 7.3 achieved in 2008 by the NPP administration was not sustainable because it was not realistic, comparing the figure to "an athlete that has taken steroids or an athlete who has taken cocaine knowing that what he did was not genuine".
But in the process of explaining himself from the statement, he rather raised the tempo in the house with further comments questioning the understanding and intellectual capacity of the former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, who is also the MP for Old Tafo, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, who had also earlier described the Deputy Minister's comment as unfortunate.
Not taking kindly to Fiifi Kwetey's comments, members from the Minority rose from their seats and protested vehemently against the Deputy Minister, accusing him of verbally attacking Dr. Akoto Osei who is also the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament.
Fuming with rage, the Minority group vociferously demanded that he withdrew the comments and apologize accordingly to Dr. Akoto Osei, as according to them, the remarks were unparliamentary and disrespectful to a Member of Parliament.
When Fiifi eventually withdrew the comments and apologised, (also at the prodding of the Majority Leader and MP for Nadowli West, Alban Bagbin, as well as the First Deputy Speaker, Doe Adjaho, who was on the Speaker's Chair for the day) Dr Akoto Osei was least impressed, exclaiming “It was an arrogant show, I haven’t accepted it, this is not a political platform.”
A livid Osei Akoto told Joy FM’s Parliamentary Correspondent, Sammy Darko that “this is somebody I can teach.”
Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com with additional files from Daily Guide
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