Rt. Hon Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho has expressed disappointment at the attitude of MPs during President John Mahama’s State of the Nation Address yesterday.

At the chamber of Parliament for Friday’s session, Doe Adjaho said, “I think the heckling yesterday was too much”.

Parliament yesterday descended into a chanting match as opposition MPs heckled the President throughout the over three hours address. Not to be outdone, Majority MPs replied with pro-Mahama chants.

The heckling, singing, chanting, shouting match was broadcasted live and watched on by the Chief Justice, Georgina Wood, the business community, diplomatic corps, foreign visitors to the House as well as the citizenry.

About 24 hours after the spectacle, Edward Doe Adjaho has pleaded with MPs to exercise decorum at state events."This is not a partisan platform" he reminded the MPs.

Doe Adjaho said he had been given assurance by the Majority and Minority leaders to rein in their caucuses.

"The two leaders swerved me yesterday because I spoke with them. I am sorry to say this in public..they said no problem.. gave me assurance" the Speaker landed gentle criticisms.

The Speaker suspects the red cards from the Minority and white handkerchiefs from the Majority members, which was used for the heckling indicates that the distraction was planned.

"The placards could not produce themselves, somebody must have thought of them and prepared those things. Nobody manufactures handkerchiefs in this chamber neither do people have red cards produced here" he said.

The Speaker said he was hopeful that this year's State of the Nation's Address would be as composed as last year's, where parliamentary leadership agreed not to heckle the president during his address.

To the surprise of Ghanaians watching and listening, the President delivered his speech without obstruction which most people think is commendable. 

The Speaker says the 2015 edition was expected to be a marker of how MPs were to conduct themselves during national events held in the chamber.

Listen to audio