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It’s a case of who the cap fits; I never said Ursula is an LGBTQ practitioner – Mutala Mohammed
Tamale Central Member of Parliament, Murtala Mohammed has denied describing the Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful as a practitioner of LGBTQ.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Wednesday, Mr Murtala Mohammed said he “never used the word practitioner”, adding that he did not mention the Communication Minister’s name.
Clarifying the statement he made before the brawl, he said: “The only statement I made which I think the Speaker is asking me to withdraw was that I said every single member of the parliament should be allowed to debate on the bill and that no one should be allowed to sit on the fence.
“And that you are either for the bill or against the bill, those who refuse to support the bill, then everybody will know their position.”
According to him, with the above statement made, he believes Ursula had a position he was not aware of hence the face-off.
“… I never used the word practitioner. In fact, I don’t know the last time I used the word practitioner…perhaps, it is a case of who the cap fits. I never mentioned Ursula’s name, I never said Ursula you are a practitioner,” he insisted.
His comments come in the wake of a brief interruption as the microphones in parliament picked up a whisper while the South Dayi MP, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor was on the floor arguing over the legislation of the Anti-LGBTQ bill.
The Second Deputy Speaker who was in the chair, called out Tamale Central MP, Murtala Mohammed asking him to withdraw an unparliamentary comment he was deemed to have passed.
On the other hand, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful was incensed by the development and accused the legislator of calling her a practitioner of LGBTQ.
“I sat here and repeatedly heard Hon Murtala refer to me as a practitioner of LGBT to the hearing of everyone in this house… and in response to that if I say he is mad, it is only a mad man who will refer to his colleague in this house as a practitioner of LGBTQ when you haven’t seen me having sexual intercourse with your wife or your daughter or your mother,” she flared up.
She burst out and called out all other legislators who she believes heard the comment but turned deaf ears to it.
“And you all [parliamentarians] heard it and pretend that suddenly you’ve lost your sense of hearing,” she added.
Both individuals withdrew their comments at the request of the Second Deputy Speaker and proceedings continued.
Mr Mohammed, in his defence, explained that comments made in Parliament while the microphone is off are not deemed as statements made in Parliament, adding that the Hansard captures statements only made with the microphone.
The Tamale Central MP said that even Ursula was also gesturing “you are mad” in the House, while the South Dayi MP, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor was debating, however it was taken on because it was not said in the microphone.
Although Mr Mohammed has withdrawn the comments made in the House, he does not believe the withdrawal means an admission of guilt.
“I just withdrew to allow sanity to prevail and that is why I didn’t withdraw a specific statement. It is not an admission of guilt,” he said.
Credit:Myjoyonline
The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a strong public statement calling for an end to what he describes as continuous attacks on his brand, following an apology from media commentator Awal Mohammed.
In the statement, Shatta Wale acknowledged the apology but stressed that persistent criticism and what he sees as deliberate attempts to damage his image must stop.
He noted that for many years, he has spoken for the streets, the youth, and people who feel ignored by society, while also promoting Ghana on the global stage and creating jobs through his work.
He expressed concern that some media personalities, commentators, and influential figures continue to target his name unfairly.
According to him, the issue goes beyond music and touches on respect, fairness, and national maturity.
The musician warned that continued disrespect toward voices that represent ordinary people could have wider consequences.
He emphasised that the Shatta Movement remains strong and organized, and that the patience of the masses should not be taken for granted.
He added that if systems continue to fail the people, they have the ability to organize politically through numbers and truth, not violence or hate.
Shatta Wale clarified that his message was not a threat but a reminder of reality, stressing that attacking a symbol that represents millions of people can have social, cultural, and democratic effects.
He called for respect, fairness, and unity, saying the voice of the people will always rise.
The statement comes after Awal Mohammed recently described Shatta Wale fans during a public discussion as junkies.
The comments triggered backlash from fans of the musician, prompting Awal to later issue an apology.
By: Jacob Aggrey
