3 MPs who have given Ghanaians reason to talk

These moves taken have sparked conversation across the country and have made major headlines in the media with time.

GhanaWeb in this piece, notes some of these MPs who have got Ghanaians talking

Sam George - LGBTQ+ bill

A team of 8 MPs led by Samuel Nartey George jointly submitted a private bill to push for the criminalization of LGBTQI+ activities in the country.

The bill dubbed, ‘The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021’ was laid in the House on Monday, August 2, and read for the first time.

This bill was one of the most talked-about in the country as both the local and international news portals showed interest in the matter.

While some Ghanaians welcomed the bill, some Ghanaians were against the bill stating the passage of the bill will violate the fundamental human rights of individuals engaged in the act.

International News portals, including BBC, and CNN took time to speak to Sam George as they demanded answers to and clarification about the proposed bill.

In Parliament, the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee held a series of public hearings on the LGBTQ+ bill after receiving over 100 memorandums.

As of March 2022, the committee held its fourth hearing with several stakeholders.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa - Presidential Jet

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has been on a campaign for the President to use Ghana's presidential jet or fly a commercial jet which will cost the taxpayer less whenever the President makes his trip aboard.

In Parliament, he has demanded the Minister for National Security to appear before the house to tell Ghanaians how much it cost the taxpayers when the president flies with a private jet.

Earlier this month, the NDC MP noted that the President has adopted a strategy of 'meet-me-there' where he appears to fly commercial jet to a destination and later uses his favorite luxurious private jet LX-DIO which now charges US$18,000 an hour. The issue of Akufo-Addo flying a luxurious presidential jet got a lot of Ghanaians talking as concerns were raised about the cost of hiring one.

Frank Annoh Dompreh - probe into Atta-Mills’ death

In February 2022, four members of the Majority group in Parliament filed a private member’s motion seeking the constitution of a bi-partisan group to probe the death of the late President John Evans Atta-Mills.

The group behind this motion was led by Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh.

Tolon MP, Habib Iddrisu, Mpraeso MP, Davis Opoku Ansah, and Tema Central MP, Yves Hanson Nortey were among the 4 MPs seeking the intervention of the house to investigate the death which occurred on July 24, 2012.

This motion came with a lot of controversy as many wondered why a motion like this will be brought to Parliament, after 12 years of the death of the late president.

Some also wondered how relevant the motion was. As if that was not enough, two of the Members of Parliament (MPs), whose names appeared on the motion paper, have dissociated themselves from it.

In a February 18, 2022, memo to the Majority Leader, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu disassociating themselves from the motion, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Mr Davis Ansah Opoku and the NPP MP for Tema Central, Mr Yves Hanson-Nortey said, “though were are aware of a broader discussion on the motion, we are unware of any such motion being filed under our instructions and in our names.

“We, therefore, call on your high office to expunge our names as co-sponsors of the said motion,” the two MPs stated.