Prosecute Sekyi-Huges – Appiah Ofori

The Member of Parliament for Essikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, P.C. Appiah Ofori says the former Speaker of Parliament, Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes, should be prosecuted for “stealing” state assets.

According to the outspoken MP, the former Speaker should have known that he was not qualified to take away the items in his official residence when leaving office.

Mr Sekyi-Hughes’ action, he told Citi news, amounts to thievery and the law must be applied accordingly to serve as a deterrent to other office holders.

The items which included household items, electrical appliances, carpets, generator, flower pots and pillow cases, estimated over $300,000, were not part of the benefits under the yet-to-be-implemented Chinery Hesse Committee report on emolument for former state officials.

By the Chinery-Hesse committee recommendations, Mr Sekyi-Hughes would be entitled to, among other benefits, dental and medical services, a saloon car and an all purpose vehicle to be provided by the state upon retirement.

“I am told by Mr. Alban Bagbin, Majority Leader in Parliament, that he carried away everything including even toilet roll, is that right?" Mr Appiah Ofori quipped.

“Considering his position and if indeed he did that then he must have disgraced himself, as this bothers on theft. He said that parliament should write to him to return those items, but failure to do so he should be picked by the police and prosecuted, so as to serve as a deterrent to other public servants.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bagbin told Joyfm retrieving the items was not the best thing to do under the circumstances because some of them might not be in good shape as of now.

“Packing and repacking them could result in breakages,” he explained.