General News of Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Source: classfmonline.com

Parliament will summon Ken Agyapong – MP

Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr. Kennedy Agyapong Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr. Kennedy Agyapong

The leadership of parliament will summon the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong over his sex-for-job allegations against the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), in due course, Deputy Majority Leader Alfred Agbesi has revealed.

“Honourable Kennedy Agyapong is a Member of Parliament, and for that matter, we are in a certain environment governed by rules and regulations. Definitely leadership is going to call him and hear his side and how he feels about what he is doing,” he disclosed.

There is growing pressure on parliament to punish the Assin Central MP over what has been described as unsavoury statements against the EC chair Charlotte Osei.

The MP at a campaign rally in Kumasi alleged that Mrs Osei got her position not by dint of hard work but through sexual favours she allegedly offered. His comments received widespread condemnation with an appeal on parliament to call him to order.

Even before the house takes an action on an earlier petition submitted last week, another women’s group has followed suit and also petitioned the Speaker to take action on Mr Agyapong.

The leader of another women’s group, Coalition for Concerned Women, which presented a petition on Tuesday July 12, Hajia Alimatu Issah, told Class News, parliament should sanction Mr Agyapong to halt such attacks on women.

Responding to the issue in an exclusive interview with Class FM’s parliamentary correspondent, Ekow Annan, the leadership of Parliament said they had taken notice of the petition and will invite the MP for questioning in due course. Deputy Majority Leader Alfred Agbesi pointed out: “If leadership of parliament feels an action needs to be taken on what he is doing, why not?”

He explained that the leadership is examining all the petitions against the MP “vis-à-vis the rules that pertain in this house”.

“It is not as if we have to act quickly as soon as something is brought,” he added.