Parliament loses clerk

A Deputy Clerk of Parliament has died.

Robert Apodolla died on Friday, February 19 after a short illness.

He was one of the clerks who have had the opportunity to work in each of the eight Parliaments in the Fourth Republic.

Tributes poured in for Mr Apodolla.

“I’m very sad to hear about the death of my friend and go-to person on rules of the House,” former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu Constituency Ras Mubarak wrote on Facebook.

“Robert Apodolla, one of parliament’s most dedicated clerks, who passed away yesterday. My prayers and thoughts are with his family in this difficult moment.”

He described the deceased clerk as one of the three persons whose opinions he sought frequently while a member of the Seventh Parliament.

“In my time in parliament, there were three persons whose opinions and suggestions I sought frequently – Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin (then a Deputy Speaker), Opare Ansah of Suhum, and the late Robert Apodolla. If I couldn’t find Mr. Speaker or Opare, it was Robert I run to for suggestions on a motion I was preparing to move or interpretation of any of the rules I wasn’t clear about.”

He said he expected Mr Apodolla to have been chosen as the Clerk of the current Parliament.

“It’s a shame he was passed over for the position of Clerk to Parliament. He took this injustice in his stride and insisted, ‘God’s time’s best’.

“The Parliament of Ghana has lost one of its unsung icons, a dedicated servant of parliament who knew his work inside out, and discharged his duties diligently.”

Mr Mubarak called on Parliament to give the deceased a “befitting funeral”.