The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema Central constituency is being hailed as ‘Hercules’ in the unfortunate brawl that occurred in the House on Monday, December 20, 2021.
Yves Hanson-Nortey was seen in a viral video shoving, pushing, and preventing angry Minority MPs who were bent on preventing the First Deputy Speaker from leaving his seat.
Ahead of voting on the controversial E-levy, First Deputy Speaker, Joe Wise, is said to have excused himself during proceedings due to ill health.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, claims Joe Wise, also MP for Bekwai wanted to excuse himself to take his medication and not to partake in the vote.
But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs disagreed claiming that it was a trick to enable him to vote for the E-levy. They attempted to stop Joe Wise from leaving to participate in the voting process.
This infuriated some New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs who clashed with their colleagues; trading blows with each other.
The Tema Central MP, who was at the centre of the drama, said his motivation was to protect the integrity of Parliament.
He has now been christened ‘Hercules’ by members of the NPP who are pleased with his decision to match the Minority boot-for-boot.
“Parliament is an arena of brains not brawls so I decided to protect the Speaker from the Minority MPs,” he said in an interview on Accra-based Oman FM, Tuesday.
He could not fathom why the Minority will not demonstrate such conduct when Speaker Alban Bagbin is in the House but will seek to disrespect Joe Wise at any given opportunity.
The Tema Central MP also blamed the marshals in Parliament for not being proactive enough to prevent the Minority MPs from getting close to Joe Wise.
Mr Hanson-Nortey has vowed to protect Ghana’s democracy even to the peril of his life.
“We have to guard jealously Ghana’s democracy because that is the only thing we have,” he added.