Intrusive Asiedu Nketia On Parliamentary Service Board May Affect Integrity Of The House - Kyei-Mensah

The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu says he is is unhappy with appointment of NDC General Secretary onto the Parliamentary Service Board and according to him, Asiedu Nketia’s membership on the Board has the potential of affecting the integrity of the Parliament. He indicated that he had no qualms with the former MP for Wenchi West as a person but the fact that he still holds a position as a General Secretary of the NDC is a great

worry. The Suame MP revealed that upon engagement with the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, he confessed that he was under pressure to present someone. But later on, the Speaker confirmed the NDC Chief Scribe’s name had come up for nomination. I am unhappy with Asiedu Nketia on the the Parliamentary Service Board. Asiedu Nketia has been a Member of Parliament. He is an intelligent person and maybe if he has to contribute

to developing the Parliament he could. My worry is his current position as the General Secretary. It has never happened before in the life of the Parliament especially when you have a very intrusive General Secretary. Even in the course of normal business of Parliament, he will come and sit there to ensure that his people vote in a certain direction, the the Parliamentary Affairs Minister bemoaned. Acting on the recommendations from an

Advisory Committee on the constitution of the Service Board, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on March 29, approved a six-member Parliamentary Service Board which includes Chairman of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Hackman Owusu Agyeman and NDC’s Johnson Aseidu Nketia. The four other members of the Board are MP for Suame, Kyei Mensah, Tamale South MP, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the former Majority leader Abraham Osei Adu, the Clerk to the Parliament and the Speaker as its Chairman. Despite the concerns raised, the Speaker also insisted that Mr Asiedu Nketia met the

necessary criteria and therefore unwavering decision to appoint the former MP for the Wenchi West onto the Board. Mr Kyei Mensah Bonsu laments how Parliament under Mr Bagbin is gradually becoming an enclave for the National Democratic Congress. You have brought in Mr Kofi Attor who is the Vice-Chairman of a party as an adviser. He has brought in two former MPs he says he

is bringing them on as advisers, Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the party and then Gayheart Mensah he is also coming to the Speaker’s office. So you are turning that place into an enclave for the NDC. There is one other guy whose name I have forgotten. He was a usual panel at Radio Gold. I understand perfectly he wants to make him his Communications Officer, the Suame MP said. Parliamentary Service Board makes regulations;

prescribing the terms and the conditions of service of the officers and other employees for the effective and efficient administration of the Service. Also, the Board has the responsibility of promoting the welfare of MPs and also the staff of the Service and also controls the management of the Service in matters of policy. The veteran legislature said if the current happenings are not checked, the 8th Parliament will collapse and will not be able to function as stipulated in the Constitution of Ghana.