The Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has indicated that he is ready to face the Privileges Committee of Parliament.
According to the lawmaker, he has evidence of medical reports to prove his innocence when appears before the Privileges Committee anytime he is called upon.
“Privileges Committee, Ablakwa claims I have absented myself for 15 days, I have my medical records so I don’t want to answer to them. I have my medical records.
“I was supposed to go back to America for review on the 27th of January, because of E-Levy and Ghana First, I have sacrificed it and I am here,” he disclosed with all confidence on Accra-based Happy FM.
He continued “I have read the law it affects a person who has absented themselves from Parliament for fifteen straight days. Not the number of absenteeism across a term. If so, a lot of MPs will be sacked.
“I am not worried, you know how any person who stands by the truth is persecuted by the system? So, I am not worried, let them invite me, I will respect them and go there accordingly and give them proof.”
Background
The Speaker of Parliament has referred three majority MPs to the privileges committee for absenting themselves for more than 15 days without permission.
Dome Kwabenya MP Sara Adwoa Safo, Ayawaso West MP and Greater Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey and Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong will have to provide a convincing explanation to the privileges committee chaired by first deputy speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu in order to keep their jobs as MPs.
Failure to do that will mean the House will automatically vote to decide their fate.
The action of the Speaker was on the premise of former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak’s petition to declare some four seats in the lawmaking chamber vacant.
Mr. Mubarak in his petition mentioned some Members of Parliament who he says have been absent for some time now and fall foul of the laws in Parliament.
“It has come to my notice through parliament’s Hansard, and newspaper and radio report that some four Members of Parliament, namely Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, MP for Dome-Kwabenya; Hon. Henry Quartey, MP for Ayawaso Central; Hon. Ebenezer Kojo Kum, MP for Ahanta West; and Hon. Ken Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin Central have all absented themselves from Parliament for more than fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament without the permission of Mr. Speaker in writing.
“In view of this reported breach of the constitutional provision, I respectfully petition your high office to direct for their conduct to be referred to the Privileges Committee for consideration and necessary action,” he disclosed in the petition.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Isaac Dzidzoamenu
