NDC MPs urged to go back to Parliament

Kumasi, Feb 14, GNA - Opanin Kwame Afreh, a political activist, on Wednesday called on National Democratic Congress (NDC) members of parliament who are boycotting parliament to reconsider their decision for the sake of peace and orderly development of the country. The MPs are boycotting parliament in protest against the conviction of Mr Dan Abodakpui, the MP for Keta, for causing financial loss to the state Mr Abodakpui, a former Trade and Industries Minister, was jailed 10 years by an Accra Fast Track High Court on February 5 on seven counts of conspiracy, defrauding by false pretences and wilfully causing financial loss of 400,000 dollars to the state.

"When such collective stand comes from people of such calibre some of whom are lawyers and other professionals, then the public start to think about the development and the future of the nation."

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, Opanin Afreh said there was no need for the MPs to take such a stand "because the judiciary does not operate in a vacuum."

"Mr Abodakpui is not the only person in prison or convicted of this offence. There are many others and if such a decision is coming from law makers then what will the implementers of the law do?" "Allow the law to take its course, if anything at all, after all there are many avenues for you to present your grievances without interrupting the programmes and activities of Parliament", he said.