Ghanatodayonline.com News, Politics, Health, Education & More
Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the majority leader in parliament, has refuted rumors and allegations that the Akufo-Addo administration is targeting Cassiel Ato Forson, the minority leader, for his outspoken criticism of the administration.
The Effutu lawmaker said that allegations and suggestions that the Minority Leader is being persecuted due of his persistent criticism of the administration are wholly untrue in a one-on-one interview on JoyNews’s The Pulse on Friday, May 31, 2024.
“It is inconceivable that individuals are on trial for their criticisms of the administration. Afenyo-Markin stated, “Haruna Iddrisu was highly critical of the government, but the government did not punish him over the double salary issue.
“If the government was minded to prosecute opposition MPs who criticise the government, then the likes of Haruna Iddrisu, Armah Kofi Buah, Mahama Ayariga and co would have been thrown in jail over the double salary matter,” he said.
The Majority Leader noted that if the president had asked the NDC MPs to repay the money rather than bring them before a judge and jury, the double salary case would have been a simple one that might have resulted in the imprisonment of numerous MPs.
He claimed that President Akufo-Addo made the decision not to bring so many political figures before the courts for possible imprisonment. He claimed that this course of action would have damaged Parliament’s reputation and alienated the political elite, which is why it was decided to let the MPs who received double salary to reimburse themselves.
Therefore, Afenyo-Markin urged Ghanaians to disregard the claim that some individuals are facing legal action for ambulance-related issues because to their ongoing criticism of the Akufo-Addo administration.
It has been alleged that around forty-eight Members of Parliament who held ministerial positions during the previous National Democratic Congress government were paid twice as much.
The Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigations Department looked into them. The Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), as revised in 2012 (Act 849), is what the police claimed the MPs’ acts violated, namely Section 124 (1).
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
