Okudzeto Ablakwa calls on parliamentary service board to clarify Dubai meeting trip
Minority caucus opposes e-levy
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has hit hard at parliamentary service board members for their reported trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for a meeting to decide on some critical decisions concerning parliament as the year comes to a close.
Online news portal MyNewsgh.com reported that eight Parliamentary Service Board members were flown out of the country at the behest of the Speaker, Alban Bagbin who was undergoing medical review in the Arab country.
Reacting to the media reports on his social media timeline, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa questioned the basis that necessitated the travel when they could have alternatively explored virtual means to engage.
He indicated that the development does not augur well for the image of parliament, especially when the legislative arm of government had been clothed with powers to exercise financial oversight over government spending.
“We know the Rt. Hon. Speaker. Alban Bagbin and the Majority Group Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu were both at some point in Dubai receiving medical attention, however, the fundamental question is: if the meeting couldn’t wait for their return perhaps because urgent matters had to be discussed, couldn’t this board meeting have been organized virtually so other members of the board participate from Ghana?” the North Tongu legislator wondered.
“It would be most disconcerting if it emerges that truly there was no virtual component to this board meeting. We must admit that as the arm of government responsible for financial oversight, especially, over the executive, this doesn’t look great if confirmed, more so, when Parliament has been trying with much difficulty in recent times to rein in an unhinged profligate executive,” he continued.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa consequently entreated the parliamentary service board to come clear on what transpired.
“Probably, there’s a superior explanation to address the legitimate anxiety being expressed by many Ghanaians. If there is, we can only urge the Parliamentary Service to put out a statement clarifying matters, since for now, the optics do not do the image of Parliament any good,” he added.
The Speaker, Alban Bagbin recently returned to Ghana on Tuesday December 14, 2021 after leaving the shores of the country on Saturday, November 27, 2021 to undergo a medical review in Dubai.
The parliamentary service board which is said to be chaired by the Speaker, has the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Leader of Government Business, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu; the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu; former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament and former Majority Leader, Abraham Osei Aidoo, Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, as well as the Clerk to Parliament, Cyril Nsiah, as members.
North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa