Andy Appiah-Kubi, the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North Constituency and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has advocated for pay cuts to address the perennial absenteeism amongst MPs in the House of Parliament.
His calls follow the continuous absence of the minority caucus of Parliament each time their leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, is in court for his alleged involvement in causing financial loss to the state in the ongoing ambulance purchase trial.
Also, the decision of the NDC MPs appears to have a strain on parliamentary business.
A visibly unhappy Mr Appiah-Kubi, speaking on Accra-base JoyNews channel, voiced concerns about the minority’s continuous absence from Parliament each time their leader appears in court. He described the move as a “dangerous precedent”.
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“Members of Parliament are elected to represent their constituents, and consistent absenteeism undermines the democratic process,” Appiah-Kubi stated.
Mr Appiah-Kubi added that enforcing pay cuts for absent MPs would encourage better attendance and accountability.
“We need to implement stricter measures to ensure that MPs fulfil their responsibilities. Pay cuts for absenteeism could be an effective deterrent,” he stressed.
Minority solidarises with Ato Forson
The NDC MPs, in a statement issued on June 11, expressed their “unflinching support” for Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, throughout his ongoing trial.
They announced their decision to boycott parliamentary proceedings whenever their leader is required to attend court sessions.
“The NDC Minority Caucus has taken notice of this worrying trend that shows an attempt by the trial judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, to prevent the Minority Leader from performing his constitutional duties as an elected Member of Parliament and the Leader of the Minority Caucus.”
“In the light of the above, and the continuous persecution of the Minority Leader, the NDC Minority will continue to solidarise and stand by its Leader anytime he is due to appear in court.”
“The NDC Minority Caucus further reserves the right to apply all other tools available to us in our approach to business on the floor,” an excerpt of the statement said.
Meanwhile, the party has described the trial of Dr Ato Forson as a “persecution” of their leader.
