Ras Mubarak
The former NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, has petitioned Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin to declare some four seats in the House vacant.
According to him, the four lawmakers from the governing party stock have been absent from Parliament for some time now, an act which he said falls foul of the laws in the legislative house.
In a petition to the speaker, Mr. Mubarak stated that “It has come to my notice through parliament’s Hansard, and newspaper and radio reports 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 stressed that “The Standing Orders of Parliament is not clear as to who can or should raise the matter of absenteeism on the floor of the House for a debate and or referral by Mr. Speaker to the Committee on Privileges. But it is incidence like this, if unattended to that threaten our democracy,” he further added.
He therefore asked the speaker that “I humbly submit that democracy can only work if Parliament puts the common good ahead of the party and personal interest. At a time of seeming collapse of trust in politics and Parliament as an institution, it is my fervent prayer that the House would rise to the occasion and be UNITED on this matter, so as to uphold our constitution and also win back waned public confidence.”
BY Vincent Kubi