Parliament to set up Committee to look into security concerns

Accra, Jan. 28 GNA - Parliament is to set up a committee to look into some security concerns raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) including the use of the powers of the occult and sorcery to harm members.
The safety of MPs came up for discussions when Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader, in a statement on the floor of the House, said his seat had been tampered with and a toxic and injurious substance, lead, had been planted into the system. He had earlier, on January 7, this year openly complained on the floor about his seat.

"It was most uncomfortable and attempted to throw me about anytime I needed to adjust myself. Thursday, January 15, 2009, when the Estate Department called for its replacement, it came to be noticed that the seat I had been sitting on in the Chamber all this while had been tampered with. The holding system had been removed and had been replaced with some rather crude lead fabrication."



The Minority Leader said it was discovered that out of the 230 seats it was only his that had been tampered with. "Madam, Speaker, I believe in God and not the occult or the so called powers of mysterious forces of darkness." He said incidentally, his office seat had also been tampered with and questioned who was behind this, the intention and how the person gained access to the Chamber and his seat. He called for investigation and said the security of members, the Speaker and staff of Parliament was at stake.



Mr Alban Bagbin, Majority Leader, said he had also almost fallen on the same seat previously as Minority Leader just before the December 7, elections. I can't believe in the use of the occult. It will not happen. We need to investigate. Leadership will meet and remedy this wrong," he said.
Ms Cecilia Dapaah, NPP Member for Bamtama, asked for prayers, saying people have sat on certain seats and had become paralyzed or died in the process. "We need prayers for ourselves and leaders so that witchcraft and occultism will be done away with," she added.



Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, First Deputy Speaker, said only yesterday, Tuesday, his attention was drawn by an NDC MP who had suffered from a similar incident when he soiled his clothes through oil smeared on his seat.
Mrs Agnes Bamford-Addo, Speaker, called on the leadership to meet over these matters and set up a committee to investigate and report back.

Earlier, she informed the House of a communication from President John Evans Atta Mills on the release of a second list of ministerial nominees and referred it to the Appointments Committee. Below is the list:
1. Ministry of Information - Mrs. Zita Okai Kwei
2. Ministry at the Presidency - Mrs. Halutie Dubie Alhassan
3. Ministry of Finance - Dr. Kwabena Dufuor
4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration - Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni
5. Ministry of Defence - Lt.Gen. J.H. Smith (Rtd)
6. Ministry of Interior - Cletus Avoka
7. Ministry of Health - Dr. George Yankey
8. Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare - Stephen Kwao Amoanor
9. Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing - Moses Asaga
10. Ministry of Youth and Sports - Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Bubarak
11. Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture - Alexander Asum-Ahensah 12. Ministry of local Government andRural Development - Joseph Yieleh Chireh
13. Ministry of Food and Agriculture - Kwesi Ahwoi
14. Ministry of Roads and Highways - Joe Gidisu
15. Minister at the Presidency - Azong Alhassan



The statement said the President has also nominated for the consideration of Parliament for appointment as Regional Ministers.
(i) Volta Region - Joseph Amenowode
(ii) Western Region - Paul Evans Aidoo
(iii) Northern Region - S.S. Nanyina
(iv) Upper East Region - Mark Woyongo



The statement said the list of Deputy Ministers will be released when Ministers of State have been vetted and confirmed after due consultation with the Ministers as required by the Constitution.