Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has proposed for the ban of cellphones usage in Parliament.

The Suame MP explained that the decision is contained in the reviewed standing orders, citing situations where members are constantly on phones in the chamber when the house in session.

“Mr. Speaker I believe the house must make a determination and let me emphasize, it’s the reason why it’s been proposed that in the next parliament, once we accept and indeed adopt the reviewed standing orders, no member will be allowed to bring a cellphone in this chamber. We need to demonstrate seriousness in this house. We need to”, he said during a presentation of the business statement.

According to Hon Osei Kyei Mensah, the practice where members focus on their phones to the neglect of proceedings even when the house hosts important guests dents the image of the legislature.

“When the president of the republic is talking members are fidgeting with their phone. When the minister responsible for finance comes here members are fidgeting with their phones. When questions are asked, ministers are providing answers members are fidgeting with their phones. It doesn’t tell a good story about us. Mr. Speaker let’s be very honest with ourselves”, he added.

The issue since it came up, has attracted comments from the members especially minority and the latest to add hos voice is the MP for Sefwi Bodi in the Western North Region, Hon Sampson Ahi.

To him, the move is wrong and amounts to the members being treated as “school children”. He said the minority MPs will resist it.

“We’ll not accept that, we’ll resist that. He [Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu] cannot impose his wishes on us, we are not school children,” Mr Ahi said, adding “it will be voted down.”