General News of Saturday, 21 September 2013

Source: radioxyzonline

Election petitioners should have been fined post-verdict - MP

Just as the dust begins to settle on the just ended 2012 election petition, Member of Parliament for Shai Osudoku, David Tetteh Essuming, is asking why the Supreme Court did not impose a hefty fine on the petitioners.

The senior member of the legislature insists that something must be done to ensure that the nation does not endure the same experience after every election.

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Water Resources Works and housing told RadioXYZ's Parliamentary Correspondent, Ibrahim Alhassan, a fine would have sent a strong message to political parties and individuals not to rash to the SC without weighty evidence.

According to the MP, the petitioners wasted the nation’s time and resources thus must be made to pay for it.

“Because our time has been wasted, the nation’s time and resources have been wasted, so I thought some level of cost could have been awarded against the petitioners for them to know that if you have to take such a stand you will have to re-examine your stand,” the MP said.

David Essuming decried the incessant attacks on the personality of Dr. Afari-Gyan, saying the EC Boss deserved better treatment than what is been dished out to him.

“Dr. Afari-Gyan is one person that must be applauded in this country, he’s worked tirelessly for this nation and we shouldn’t treat him the way we are treating him. I think that he deserves better attention and recognition than we are doing,” he stated.

He disagreed that a fine imposed on the petitioners had the potential of undermining our democracy. Rather, he said it would strengthen the institutions of Ghana’s democracy.

“Well, It’s all enhancing our democracy, I mean, if you want to take any step as far as democracy is concerned, then you think of the consequences, and so I believe that if that was done it would have also added to the strengthening of the democracy. Because you don’t just take any step without examining and re-examining”.