News:
April 28, 2017
Acting Director of Public Affairs of Parliament, Mrs Kate Addo in an interview has reveal that former Members of Parliament (MPs) who still hold their service or Diplomatic passport are to return them immediately they are no longer members.
Her comment comes in the wake of three current and one former Members of Parliament who have been barred from entering the UK for allegedly indulging in visa fraud.
The following MPs have been cited, Richard Acheampong Bia East in the Western Region, Joseph Benhazin Asutifi North in the Brong Ahafo Region, Johnson Kwaku Adu Ahafo Ano South in the Ashanti Region and George Boakye former MP for Asunafo South in the Brong Ahafo Region.
She further noted that, the Speaker of Parliament RT Honorable Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye is of the view that any former MP who holds service or Diplomatic passport should return it to avoid any future situation being witnessed.
“We have process of acquiring visas for MPs, Parliament protocol was not involved with the situation we have at hand” and noted that with the current incident, she does not see how that will affect the relationship Parliament has with British High Commission, she pointed out.
Mrs. Kate Addo emphasized that, anything that brings the name of Parliament into disrepute is not acceptable this she indicated when the media wanted to know from her how Parliament takes such news as far as the image of Parliament is concerned.
And added with the current development, she does not know what punishment the Speaker will prescribe to the MPs involved since the issue came to the attention of the House and was being handled at the leadership level.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com