Murtala Mohammed, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central has described as shameful and irresponsible the move by the NPP caucus in parliament to report to the chamber earlier than the stipulated time on Friday, January 15, 2021.

A post by Sheila Bartels on Facebook, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, indicates that as early as 4:00 AM on Friday, some NPP MPs were already in the chamber.

Speaking in an interview with Angel FM, Murtala Mohammed wondered why the NPP will leave their homes and report as 3:00 AM.

“What I saw in the chamber was embarrassing. They were here by 3 AM and I’m surprised. Journalists reported that it was 4 AM but one of the staff here told me they came at 3 AM. Some of them were here 3 AM which means they left home at 2 AM which is very irresponsible.”

He disclosed that he confronted some of the MPs on why despite having babies, they thought it wise to leave home at dawn just to occupy a certain side of the house.

“Some of them I know they have kids. They left them at home and by 2 AM they had left home. The kids will wake up and be asking of their whereabouts. How embarrassing is that? Just because they want to come and sit here. Parliament doesn’t work at 3 AM so it’s very irresponsible.”

Meanwhile, the deputy majority leader, Alex Afenyo-Markin has justified why his party members reported early.

He explained that they were heeding to calls for them to be punctual in the house.

“I don’t see any controversy arising out of who is sitting where and all that. My understanding is that we have been urged to be punctual, and our first-timers have resolved to seeing to punctuality and ensuring that they take their parliamentary work seriously,” Afenyo-Markin told Asaase Radio in an interview.