Accra, Nov 12, GNA- Mr Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akrofuom has advised producers and hosts of television and radio programmes to check the background of panellists before engaging them.
He contended that it was necessary to engage well-informed persons on their programmes, to educate and enlighten their listeners to avoid misinformation on topical issues of national interest.
Mr Appiah-Pinkrah gave the suggestion in Accra, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on some of the functions of an MP. He agreed on the need for the MP to be in touch with his constituents to know their concerns, but added that the work of the MP was not only limited to visiting his constituency.
Mr Appiah-Pinkrah also reacted to a radio discussion on a local FM station, during which a participant accused him of not visiting the constituency and not being in touch with his constituents. He said as a lawmaker, the MP was both a representative of his constituents and a delegate of his party and had to garner his efforts to meet the needs of both at a middle point.
The MP said satisfying the needs of constituents was not based on individual wish, but rather group interest in relation to the overall party objectives, policies and principles.
He said the District Assemblies was an important tool that had enhanced participation in governance at the grassroots level, adding that some of the work that some constituents expected of the MP was to be done at the District Assembly level.
The MP challenged the panellist on the radio discussion programme to verify if he was not discharging his duties effectively as an MP. Mr Appiah-Pinkrah, who is also a member of the Local Government Committee in Parliament and Member of the Standing Committee on Government Assurances, added that it would be better to give credit to hardworking MPs rather than give false unverifiable information about them on radio.
"We should begin to educate our people on where the state responsibility and that of the individual begin and end, not rather make sweeping statements about an MP without seeking his views and that of the people," the Akrofuom MP said.
Mr Appiah-Pinkrah said he had met party executives and youth organisers and gone on an inspection tour of projects in the constituency during the last recess.
He said he had supported the Constituency with 18,900 Ghana Cedis of his share of the Common Fund towards the completion of community initiated projects and bursaries to students and pupils at all levels of education and a specific support to Akrofuom Secondary Technical School. He also said that he had created a special fund of 10,000 Ghana cedis for the Akrofuom Secondary Technical School to be distributed to the best 20 in all subjects, for all the three terms in a year. He spoke of a number of development projects initiated, which were also being pursued and at various stages of completion in the constituency, stating that his number one priority was education to develop the human resources to work on the various opportunities in the area. Dormaa (BA), Nov. 12, GNA - Osagyefo Agyeman Badu II, Paramount Chief of the Dormaa Traditional Area, on Sunday called on voters to critically evaluate presidential candidates of the various political parties for Election 2008 to make the right choice. He said voters should not hesitate to drop candidates who used money or made wild promises to influence them. Osagyefo Agyeman Badu made the call at Dormaa in the Brong Ahafo Region during an interaction with Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, who visited the palace to announce his bid as a presidential aspirant of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). He said politics was not about money but the development of he country. Osagyefo Agyeman Badu said, although the numerous candidates seeking to lead the NPP in next year's election was testimony of internal democracy, there was the need to avoid any trouble. He commended the Vice President for conducting himself excellently and wished him well in his presidential ambition. Alhaji Aliu said his zeal to lead the NPP in Election 2008 was based on the fact that he could appeal to floating voters and serve as a bridge between Christians and Muslims, the rich and poor and all ethnic groups. The Vice President also interacted with Beyeman Boseah Gyiantwi IV, chief of Drobo where he described himself as the most experienced man to take over from President John Agyekum Kufuor in January 2009. Addressing members of the Asunafi North District Assembly at Goaso, he expressed concern about the rising incidents of armed robbery among the youth hence the need to create employment to prevent them from such anti-social activities. At Wenchi, Vice President Aliu interacted with the family of the late Prime Minister Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia and laid a wreath at the Mausoleum. Prof. Busia who was born on July 11, 1913 died on August 28, 1978. He died in exile after his government was overthrown in 1972 by the National Redemption Council after 27 months in office. The Vice President said Dr Busia, who was among the doyen of the Danquah-Busia tradition was a great leader with huge vision and leadership in Ghana and Africa. He said he had therefore come to his roots to seek blessing for his presidential bid. Nana Kofi Apea, bother and Nana Frema, sister of Dr Busia called for God's blessings for the Vice President. 12 Nov. 07
