MP calls for investigations into violence during Asawase election

Accra, May 10, GNA - Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, the Deputy Minority Leader, on Tuesday called for investigations into reports of acts of violence during the April 21 by-election in the Asawase Constituency. He said anyone found to have fallen foul of the law, irrespective of party affiliations, should be made to face the law since that was the only way to ensure that "we remove thuggery from our election processes."

Mr Adjaho made the call in Parliament after Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, the Speaker of Parliament, had administered the oath of office to Alhaji Muntaka Mohammad Mubarak, the new NDC Member of Parliament for Asawase, who was warmly welcomed by both sides of the house. The Deputy Minority Leader said the new MP no longer represented his supporters who voted for him but is now a representative of everybody in the constituency.

Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, also congratulated the MP and said results collated from the constituency showed that the member worked hard and was rewarded.

He touched on voter apathy during the elections in some parts of Asawase and said there was the need to get more people to take part in decision-making.

Later in an interview, Alhaji Mubarak said he was bringing in fresh ideas and dynamism to bear on his work as MP. He touched on what he described as some "nasty incidents" during the by-elections and said he did not understand why the police should arrest and then release some young men who were found with arms during the election.

Earlier, when the Parliament reconvened for the First Sitting of the Second Meeting after the Easter break, the Speaker welcomed members back and expressed the hope that they were well organised for the task ahead. He asked for cooperation and support from the MPs and gave assurance that Parliament would be sitting on time.

The Whistleblower, Human Trafficking, the Domestic Violence and the National Council on Women and Development (Repeal) bills are to be presented to Parliament during this meeting that would run until July. The Fines and Penalty Unit Instrument and Labour Regulation Instrument are among instruments to be laid before the house while 56 questions and eight urgent questions have been slated for the session. 10 May 05