The Minority in Parliament has threatened to disparage Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and not recognize him as a minister of state if he doesn’t apologise for use of a popular social media phrase in parliament.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah incurred the wrath of the minority for describing former Deputy Energy Minister John Jinapor as “Papa no” during a debate in parliament on Friday.
The popular phrase ‘Papa no’ has become a social media craze after actress Tracey Boakye used it repeatedly to describe an influential figure who is yet to be identified. She claims the married man has had an affair with her and musician Mzbel.
It has however emerged that, former President John Dramani Mahama is suspected to be the yet to be identified man, an impression known members of the New Patriotic Party are forcefully creating.
The information minister while speaking on the floor of parliament late Friday night as the house approved the Agyapa Royalties Limited agreement said “Mr Speaker, I want to encourage my colleagues on the other side. I want to encourage my good friend who just spoke. In my hometown, we will say, ‘Papa no.’ ‘Papa no.’ I want to encourage ‘Papa no’ to take some time and follow the structure of this conversation and support.”
The comments of the minister provoked minority leader Haruna Iddrisu who stood up and threatened to dishonor the minister if he doesn’t apologise for use of the phrase.
“You come to parliament to employ those words used on social media, we take strong objection to it. If you don’t withdraw, we won’t recognize you today as minister. We will not. Do what you will do,” Haruna Iddrisu angrily said.
He continued: “From today, we won’t recognize you as minister of this republic. And we will not accord you any respect as minister. Let’s throw it to the dogs. What do you take us for? So, ‘Papa no’ accepted. But from today, we will not.
“We will give you a name. We will give you a name. And we are serving notice, he was elected just like you. And his constituents respect him. Because you people use ‘Papa no’ on social media. We know what it means. We will match you. You have lost my respect as Minority leader from today. We will match with you. We too, we will call you ‘Maame no.”
Meanwhile, social media has been inundated with threats from known persons including singer and political activist Kwame A Plus to expose the minister over some promiscuous acts.
