Dr Asare sworn in as MP for Akwatia

Page 17, Aug 26, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE newly-elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia, Dr Kofi Asare, was sworn into office yesterday when Parliament resumed for the first special sitting.
Dr Asare won the Akwatia Constituency seat after the re-run of six polling stations as a result of electoral malpractices in those staions during the general election on December 7, 2008.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, informed the House that the Clerk to Parliament had received a writ of election from the Electoral Commission informing Parliament that Dr Asare won the Akwatia parliamentary seat.
Dr Asare thereafter walked to the podium and swore the oaths of office and allegience administered by Mr Doe Adjaho.
When he was marched to his seat by the Marshal of Parliament, Dr Asare was greeted by the Minority side.
Welcoming the new MP to the House, the Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, stated that Dr Asare was most qualified to occupy the Akwatia seat to render his services to the people.
He recounted incidents that occurred during the re-run of the election in the six polling stations during which many people got injured while some cars were either burnt or smashed.
"Mr Speaker, these incidents must be condemned by all since it reminded us of the dark days of the country's politics", he said and called for lessons to be learnt from the Akwatia election.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that Ghana had earned international reputation as a result of previous elections and had thus become the beacon of hope in Africa.
"What happened recently at Akwatia was a dent in our enviable democratic credentials and we should resolve not to allow such indicents to mar our hard won positive image", he stressed.
The Minority Leader said the forthcoming bye-election at Chireponi would be a litmus test as to whether Ghana would be able to maintain its reputation as a good example of democracy in Africa.
He advised the new MP to face the realities of the House and learn the rules and procedures quickly in order to achieve the targets he had set for himself and his constituency.
For his part ,the Majority Leader and Leader of the House, Mr Alban Bagbin, reminded Dr Asare that he was now a dignified member of the House.
He stated that the culture in the House was different from what he witnessed during the election in the Akwatia Constituency.
Mr Bagbin explained that in Parliament, MPs debate and agree to disagree before arriving at a decision devoid of violence and unparliamentary pronouncements.
He said it was unfortunate that Dr Asare could not be sworn in with his other colleagues at the beginning of the fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic as a result of the violence that marred the 2008 election in the Akwatia Constituency.
Mr Bagbin called on the law enforcement agencies to deal ruthlessly with those who committed crimes to serve as a deterrent to others.
"This is not politics. Politics is a decent profession to serve the people", he stated.
Mr Bagbin assured the new MP of co-operation from the Majority, and urged him to fraternise with the defeated candidate in the election in order develop the constituency.
He advised the defeated candidate to accept defeat in humility and co-operate with the elected MP for the sake of the progress of Akwatia.
Mr Adjaho, for his part, called on the new MP to serve those who voted for him and those who did not vote for him as well since he was now the MP for Akwatia and not for a section of the people.
With the swearing in of the Akwatia MP, Parliament now has 229 parliamentarians.
The conduct of the Chireponi by-election will enable the House to have the full compliment of its 230 membership.
Mr Adjaho informed the House about the nomination of three justices of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court and referred their nominations to the Appointments Committee for consideration and report.
They are Justice Benjamin Teiko Aryeetey, Justice Nasiru Sulemana Gbadegbe and Justice Vida Akoto-Bamfo.

•Dr Kofi Asare (left), the NPP MP for Akwatia, being sworn in by the Mr Doe Ajaho, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament.