I had nothing to do with Hawa's resignation -MP

THE MEMBER OF Parliament for Amenfi West, Hon. Abraham Kofi Asante, has categorically denied ever moving a motion in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament on the compatibility or otherwise of the ministerial position held by Madam Hawa Yakubu in the Ecowas Parliament, based in Abuja, Nigeria.

According to him, the first time he heard of that the former minister's position was incompatible with her membership of the Ecowas Parliament was when he read the minutes of the first session of the Ecowas Legislature dated 1st to 7th June, last year.


Debunking the assertion in an interaction with the media at Parliament House in Accra yesterday, Mr. Asante, made it clear that during the session,at which the issue arose, members from Senegal, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, as well as those of Ghana, except Madam Yakubu, were absent.


In view of his absence at the session, Asante, who is also one of Ghana's representatives at the sub-regional Parliament, argued that there was no way he could have made the statement attributed to him by the former Tourism minister.


Madam Yakubu, who resigned last Thursday from her post as Ghana's Tourism Minister, had stated on an Accra TV station that Mr. Asante had initiated moves at the Abuja-based ECOWAS Parliament to make her resign her ministerial post in Ghana or lose her seat in the ECOWAS House.


Continuing, the MP noted that, page 8 of the minutes of the session, item 21, indicated where a member raised the issue to the effect that Hawa Yakubu is a Minister and that her ministerial position is not compatible with the rules of Article 12 of the protocol, of which the Speaker of the Ecowas Parliament, Prof. Ali Nouhoum Diallo of Mali, would attest to.


He, therefore, found it surprising for Hawa Yakubu to attribute that statement to him.

Kofi Asante, however, admitted making a statement on the floor at the second session of the Sub-regional Parliament, dated 24th September to 12th October, last year, on the termination of the appointment of Dr. George Adjah Sipa Yankey, then the Managing Director of the Ecowas Bank for Investment and Development, but not on Madam Yakubu.


In connection with the Yankey case, he said, he openly told the House that the termination of the appointment of the Director of the Bank did not comply with the procedure for termination of appointment spelt out in the Protocol, as stated in Article 28(5), which is that "The Managing director shall vacate his office if the Council after consultation with the Board of directors so decides."


For that matter, Asante noted that the Board of Directors and Council of Ministers held no discussion, as required by the Protocol, before the termination letter was issued.


Also, the MP observed that membership to the sub-regional Parliament in the long term be elected on the Universal Adult Suffrage (UAS) to replace the interim process whereby Parliamentarians in the sub-region would be selected without going through elections.


Ghana's delegation to the sub-regional Parliament consists of Hon.Yaw Barimah, MP and presently Minister of Works and Housing; Hon. Rashid Bawa, MP and Deputy Minister of Education; Hon. Balado Manu, MP for Ahafo Ano South; Hon. Alice Boon, MP for Lambussie; Hon. K.T Likpalimor MP for Kpandai; Ken Dzirasah MP and second Deputy Speaker; Hon. Hawa Yakubu, MP for Bawku Central, and Hon. Abraham Kofi Asante, MP for Amenfi West, but this list willoon be amended for a new set of list to the sub-regional Parliament.