UK MP murder sparks fear among Ghana MPs

Members of Ghana’s parliament are fearing for their lives following the gruesome murder of Jo Cox, 41, a Labour MP in Britain, Class91.3FM’s parliamentary correspondent, Ekow Annan, has reported.

On Thursday June 16, Police in Britain confirmed the death of the Labour MP for Batley and Spen. She was left bleeding on the ground by her attacker.

It would be recalled that a similar incident occurred in Ghana when the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, JB Danquah-Adu, was attacked and murdered in his home at Shiashie in Accra.

The growing insecurity of lawmakers, even in advanced countries, has prompted MPs in Ghana to demand tighter security from the state.

Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Efutu, led the demand for tighter security for MPs on Friday June 17 on the floor of parliament. “This Member of Parliament [Jo Cox] in an advanced country was going about her parliamentary work and an extremist attacked her, shot her, and stabbed her. Mr Speaker, we are members of parliament, who are about to begin our campaign. I am taking this opportunity and relying on this sad occasion to plead with the Business Committee to, as urgently as possible, programme the Ministry for the Interior to come to this house for the necessary assurances as to how we are going to be protected.”

He added: “If I go to Winneba and an extremist decides to attack me, are we going to be giving tribute upon tributes? …We need our protection.”