Waterville saga: Sack Barton-Odro as Deputy Speaker - Ken Agyapong

Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, is calling for the immediate removal of Ebo Barton-Odro as Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Mr. Agyapong said, considering Mr. Barton-Odro’s involvement in the Waterville saga, his continuous stay in that position will be an indictment on Parliament.

"Ebo Barton-Odro as Deputy Attorney-General said they rather have saved this country money by paying these huge sums of monies to Woyome and his cronies. This man now is a Deputy Speaker of Parliament. It is an indictment and a disgrace to Parliament. He has to be removed," he stressed.

Ken Agyapong made the comments on an Accra based radio station Okay FM Monday.

Ebo Barton-Odro as a Deputy Attorney-General in the erstwhile Atta Mills' administration was instrumental in the Waterville-Woyome saga.

He was of the view that government had no case defending the issue in court saying, the payment of the judgment rather saved the state money.

But the Supreme Court on Friday ordered Waterville Holdings Ltd. to return to the state €25 million ($47 million) it obtained illegally arising out of claims it brought against the state in 2009.

This was after former Attorney-General Martin Amidu argued that neither Waterville nor businessman Alfred Agbese Woyome, who also obtained similar payments, had a valid contract with the state to warrant the payments.

The court by a unanimous decision ruled in favour of Martin Amidu ordering that the monies paid Waterville in the judgment, was illegal and must be refunded.

Against this back drop, Ken Agyapong said Mr. Barton-Odro is not worthy to lead the august house of Parliament as an honorable.

The Assin Central MP added that he had been vindicated for raising the issue on the floor of Parliament as a concerned citizen.

According to him, if Mr. Barton-Odro could not jealously guard the sanctity of the judiciary, "then he could replicate it in Parliament".

Ken Agyapong urged other MPs to join in the call if they want to protect the integrity of Parliament.