The office of the Speaker of Parliament, Alban S. K. Bagbin has denied appointing an “NDC Man”, Kofi Attor as acting Speaker.
According to the Speaker, the fact of the case is not as what a publication in the ‘Daily Guide’ newspaper dated March 11, 2022 carried.
The statement said “The ‘NDC man’ in question, according to a release from the Office of the Speaker, is a former Member of Parliament, and currently works in the Speaker’s Secretariat as a Senior advisor. The Speaker assigns to him and the team duties as and when necessary.
“We wish to state that Hon. Kofi Attor is a former member of Parliament who currently works in the Speaker’s Secretariat as a Senior advisor. The Speaker assigns responsibilities to him and the Staff from time to time In all these, he has never been assigned responsibility as deputy speaker and those who caused the publication to know this.”
The office of the Speaker thus advised the public to ignore the publication.
“The said publication is just one of the mischievous attempts to court public disaffection and ridicule of the speaker and bring him into disrepute.
The public is advised to ignore the mischief.
The Speaker, had snubbed his two deputies and rather electe a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former MP, Kofi Attor to represent him in a meeting in his absence.
The speaker overlooked his First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu commonly known as Joe Wise who doubles as MP for Bekwai and MP for Fomena, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, an Independent MP to appoint Kofi Attor, who he introduced as a Chief of Staff at the Office of the Speaker at a recent media engagement to represent him in a meeting with an international organization, Medecins San Frontiers (MSF).
Per a memo from the Head of Parliamentary Relations and protocols to Majority and Minority Leaders, Chairman of Health Committee and Ranking Member, Health Committee, intercepted by DGN Online, MSF was paying a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament and in his absence directed Kofi Attor to receive the guests.
“On behalf of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Kofi Attor will host Medecins San Frontiers (MSF), an Independent International Medicinal humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency assistance in more than sixty five countries to people affected armed conflicts, epidemic, natural or man made disasters as well as exclusion from health care.
“The meeting will be held on Thursday, 10th March 2022 at 11:00 am at the Speaker’s lounge, 12th floor of job 600.
“I have therefore been directed by the Clerk of Parliament to respectfully invite you, Hon. Majority Leader, Hon. Minority leader, Chairman and Ranking Members of the Helath Committee to join Kofi Attor in receiving the guests as sheduled,” an invitation extended to top hierarchy of Parliament indicated.
However, according to sources following a protest from the Majority, Kofi Attor stayed off leaving the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu to receive the delegation in the absence of the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu.
BPolitics y Vincent Kubi