MP missing in parliament for two years; constituents cry for replacement

Credible information available to Today Newspaper indicates that the National Democratic Congress member of Parliament (MP) for Krowor Constituency in the Greater Accra region, Dr. Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah, has been bedridden for the past two years.

Today Newspaper’s findings established that Dr. Quaye-Kumah has not been to Parliament to represent his constituency since 2012.

Though his party, NDC, has informed the leadership of the House about his condition, Today Newspaper can authoritatively confirm that his constituents have ran out of patience as they could not continue to live with the fact that they have no representative in Parliament.

“For how long can we stay without having a representative in Parliament? That is not fair, and we think our party [the NDC] must start looking for someone who can represent us in Parliament,” some worried NDC constituents indicated.

Meanwhile, Today Newspaper’s visit to the Table Office in Parliament House on Wednesday, November 12, 2104 confirmed that the Krowor MP had not been to Parliament for the past two years.

The official who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity indicated that the MP had sought permission on the grounds of ill-health.

That notwithstanding, the paper discovered that Dr. Quaye-Kumah was still recognised by the 1992 Constitution as an MP.

Today Newspaper’s investigation team went to the Krowor Constituency to find out the state of the MP’s health and why he had not been to Parliament all this while.

When Today Newspaper’s team got to Nungua, near the barrier, where the family house of the MP was located, a young man who gave his name as Alfred Quaye, claimed he was a nephew of the MP.

He confirmed that his uncle [Dr. Quaye-Kumah] was struck down by stroke after the 2012 General Elections and since then he had not been fit to carry out any work.

Although he said his condition was critical, he pointed out that he was recovering.

When asked about his whereabouts, Alfred Quaye told Today Newspaper that he last saw him a week ago and directed our team to his uncle’s clinic.

At Dr. Quaye-Kumah’s clinic, some workers on duty bluntly told the paper that the MP had travelled abroad to receive medical treatment.

But the workers and one Imoro Quaye, who also claimed to be a nephew of the MP, later became furious when our investigative team told them of the account of Alfred Quaye, the first of nephews of the MP, Today Newspaper earlier met.

“Who is that Alfred Quaye… and when did he say he saw honourable [Dr. Quaye-Kumah,] probably in his dreams,” Imoro furiously charged.

Though Imoro Quaye admitted the MP was sick, he maintained that he was out of the country.

The MP’s secretary also showed some letters she had received on behalf of his boss. This was ostensibly to establish the fact that the MP was out of the country.

According to the lady secretary, who looked confused, her boss would have alerted her if he had returned from his trip abroad.

She however offered to give the MP’s telephone number to Today’s team.

“If you wouldn’t mind, you can take his telephone number and call him yourself,”’ she averred.

Not satisfied with the conflicting information, Today’s team went back to the MP’s family house, where again Alfred Quaye insisted the MP had not travelled, contrary to what the MP’s workers told this paper.

He then directed Today to the MP’s shop to go and speak to his “ex-wife” on the matter.

But, unfortunately, our team did not meet the “ex-wife” of the MP and apparently the shopkeeper refused to give out his madam’s telephone number.

He told the paper that his madam had gone out and did not know when she would return.

Incidentally, Imoro Quaye who Today’s team met at the MP’s clinic came to the shop and by his demeanor it was obvious that the shopkeeper was not ready to divulge any information.

Our team, however, managed to note down some telephone numbers on the signpost of the shop whilst leaving the place.

Today Newspaperthen called one of the telephone numbers, and a lady who claimed to be the wife of the MP answered.

After a brief introduction on the phone by Today’s team she directed the team to where she was.

She gave her name as Mrs. Paulina Quaye-Kumah when she met Today Newspaper at Nungua where her red saloon Kia Cerato car was parked opposite Barclays Bank.

She expressed disquiet about being addressed by some members of his husband’s family as ex-wife when there had not been any divorce to that effect.

When asked about her husband, Mrs. Quaye-Kumah confirmed that Dr. Quaye-Kumah was sick and had been admitted at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

“My husband is sick, and he is being admitted at the 37 Military Hospital here in Accra,” she disclosed.

According to her, her husband’s condition was critical that “only God can heal him.”

She lamented the deteriorating nature of her husband’s health and wished it had not happened like that.

“If you see my husband… you will cry the way the sickness has affected him. He is 56-years-old but if you see him now he looks like a 70-year-old man,” Paulina told Today.

She further corroborated the earlier assertion by the MP’s constituents that he should be replaced by the NDC.

“His people [constituents] do not want to hear his name at all, and I think it is better the NDC finds a replacement for him,” she said.

Today Newspaper later sought the views of astute lawyer, Ayikoi Otoo, on the matter, who explained that the seat of Dr. Quaye-Kumah could not be declared vacant though he had not been to Parliament for two years.

He explained further that according to the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the MP, having sought permission from the leadership of the House [Parliament] meant that he still remained an MP.

The celebrated lawyer supported his argument by quoting Article 94 (c) of the Constitution which stipulates that a Member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament” if he is absent, without permission in writing to the Speaker and he is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges from fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament during any period that Parliament has been summoned to meet and continues to meet.”

By this express provision in the constitution, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) legal luminary noted that unless either the MP’s constituents or his party leadership demand for his replacement, Parliament cannot declare his seat vacant.

Today’s checks at the Electoral Commission (EC) revealed that no information on the MP’s health had been communicated to the Commission by Parliament.

A deep throat source at the EC told Today Newspaper that though the Commission was aware of the situation, it could not call for a by-election unless it receives an official letter from the Speaker of Parliament.