Anas scares MPs

Ace investigative reporter, Anas Aremeyaw Anas of the New Crusading Guide is said to be conducting investigations into activities of Members of Parliament (MPs), creating panic amongst some MPs.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, in a passionate contribution to a debate on a new code of conduct for all MPs yesterday, said the conduct and behaviour of some MPs in the past two years had been the worst in the operations of the House and that information that Anas is in the house ‘doing his own thing’ was creating apprehension amongst some of his colleagues.

“Why does it take Anas for us to sit up,” he wondered, adding that MPs must exhibit exemplary lives as parliament has always been the eye of a democratic society.

He also urged parliament to open up to the general public on critical issues like salaries and other conditions of service for MPs so that the public would trust them more than ever.

“People out there think we receive so much, we are given free fuel while our bills are paid for us by the taxpayer, but this is not the case because we have failed to open up to members of the public on this critical issue,” he said, adding that per the 1992 Constitution, MPs must be given the same condition of service as High Court judges, but observed that treatment given to High Court judges is better than that of MPs.

He indicated that to date MPs do not have their own offices and also take loans to undertake national assignments.

The MP for Manhyia South, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said the issue of salaries and ex-gratia for MPs generates a lot of debate every time and that parliament must make the effort to open up to members of the public on what conditions of service MPs operate under.

The Majority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, said it ass unfortunate that most MPs were not abiding by the law that bars them from doing any other job without official permission and also the one that enjoins them to declare all their assets, three months after assuming office.

According to Muntaka, the issue of MPs involving themselves in bribery and corruption must be well defined by the code of conduct because MPs are people who in most cases, receive appreciation from members of the public in the form of gifts, while they (MPs) also often give their constituents and members of the public monetary assistance.

He suggested that MPs must be made to receive gifts not exceeding GH¢500 while they are also made to support any member of the public not exceeding GH¢100.

The MP for Amenfi Central, George Kofi Arthur, said he was particularly worried about the vague nature of explanation given to moral behaviour of MPs, adding that if the code of conduct is saying MPs must always do things that are morally acceptable to the general society, then the public could take advantage and subject MPs to all kinds of abuses and provocations because they must do things that are acceptable.

“Mr. speaker, if somebody comes to me and starts insulting me or gives some slaps, I must not retaliate because I am an MP? MPs are also human beings and could be provoked to react in the same manner as people may react to them,” he queried.

The code of conduct itself enjoins MPs to exhibit high degree of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and leadership.

It was approved by parliament yesterday while the Privileges Committee was tasked to come out with a manual that would spell out appropriate sanctions against erring MPs.