MP for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Mr George Mireku Duker, raised the gas cylinder to support his claim that the cylinder recirculation model of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) announced by the government would ensure the integrity of gas cylinders and prevent gas explosions.

MP takes gas cylinder into chamber of Parliament

Musah Yahaya Jafaru Nov - 24 - 2017 , 16:20 2 minutes read

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, on Friday ordered the marshal to take a gas cylinder that a Member of Parliament (MP) brought in to aid his debate on the 2018 budget and economic policy outside the chamber of Parliament.

While contributing to the debate, the MP for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Mr George Mireku Duker, raised the gas cylinder to support his claim that the cylinder recirculation model of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) announced by the government would ensure the integrity of gas cylinders and prevent gas explosions.

But the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr James Avedzi, rose on the point of order and indicated that the presence of the gas cylinder in the chamber posed danger to the legislators.

He said the gas cylinder could explode or the gas could be used to cause harm to the MPs.

The Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said the concerns raised by Mr Avedzi were speculative since he was not certain the cylinder contained gas.

The order

Giving his ruling, the First Deputy Speaker said if the gas cylinder contained gas, it was extremely dangerous to the House.

He said even if the cylinder was empty, it be could be used as an offensive weapon.

The First Deputy Speaker, therefore, cautioned the Parliament security for allowing the MP to carry the gas cylinder into the chamber.

"The security ought not to have allowed it inside", he said.

The First Deputy Speaker, therefore, asked the marshal to take the gas cylinder out of the chamber, which he complied.

No gas

After the execution of the order, Mr Duker indicated that the gas cylinder did not contain gas.

The model, proposed by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), is said to ensure that LPG filling points are located out of densely populated areas and commercial centres.

Mr Duker said the energy sector would witness massive growth in terms of installed capacity and reliability of supply with the ingenuity of the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Minister of Energy, Mr Boaky Agyarko.