President Akufo-Addo consoling the late MP’s mother
President Akufo-Addo, yesterday, visited the family of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Mfantseman, Ekow Kwansah Hayford, who was gruesomely killed by supposed armed robbers on Friday.
It was a solemn scene when the President arrived at Mankesim as the people gathered wailed uncontrollably.
The President just returned from Mali and found time to rush to Mankesim to console the bereaved family.
“I have told the IGP that if I don’t see anything in this case what will happen, will happen,” he assured the family, adding, “Those who perpetrated the act will surely face the law and will never go scot free.
“What has happened has affected me. I know his death is irreplaceable but I assure you that whatever we can do to help, we shall do it.”
Parliamentary Delegation
Earlier, a delegation from Parliament, led by the Speaker, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, also visited the family of the NPP MP for Mfantseman.
The leadership of both Majority and Minority as well as the Central Regional Caucus accompanied the Speaker to commiserate with the family, especially the MP’s wife, children and his 80 year old mother.
Francis Ato Cudjoe, the NPP MP for Ekumfi, which is closer to Mfantseman in the Central Region, briefed the deceased family about the visit of the parliamentary delegation.
The Speaker after being introduced reiterated his concerns that MPs were becoming “endangered species.”
“What I want to tell Ghanaians is that everyone has his/her job and its associated risk. MPs play a crucial role and there is the need for special security at their residence in Accra and hometown,” he said, adding “if you give someone a responsibility, you equally have to provide them the protection to perform the job.”
He said “the risk of an MP is different from others. It is not everyone whose work is dangerous, it is not everyone that goes for campaign in the night, yet it is part of the duties of MPs.”
The Speaker said “there is no politician in Parliament who has not gone for night campaigns. That is the nature of the job. This can bring about hatred and envy, and this is the nature of the job.”
He said that “this is an important conversation that we will be having to address the issue of the security of MPs.”
The Speaker said the slain MP had a promising career and was useful to Parliament, adding “I had wished and prayed for all members to remain alive but this did not happen.”
Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu described the slain MP as hardworking and contributed a lot to the work of the House.
He said he helped greatly in getting a better Security and Intelligence Act for the country.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said the time had come for the proposal to get MPs security details to be considered dispassionately.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Mankesim