Nana Ayew Afriye, Member of Parliament (MP) for Effiduase/Asokore Constituency
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Effiduase/Asokore Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, has stated that electorates venting their spleen on MPs is worrisome.
He explained that MPs did not take decisions regarding the growth and development of constituencies but were the prerogative of ministers of state and bemoaned the slow political development of the Ashanti region.
“Gradually, voters are turning against those that they have voted for to represent them in Parliament, but those who are to take the decision regarding the progress, growth and development are the ministers of state, including the Ministers of Finance and Roads and Highways and not MPs,” he asserted.
Dr Afriyie questioned why the central government must neglect the region where it got most of its votes in national elections but decided to stall projects where they win more votes which could affect it in future elections if it persisted.
“Where you get your votes, you have decided not to send your money there and decide to turn away from the Ashanti Region and construct interchanges in other regions, yet, you will turn back to the Ashanti Region for votes,” he quizzed.
Majority Leader in Parliament and MP for Suame Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, was on July 18 attacked by some angry residents within his constituency over the poor nature of the roads and accosted by the angry residents with some throwing various items in his direction and hooting at him.
It took the timely intervention of the Police to calm tension and shield him from harm when residents organised a demonstration and called on authorities to ensure work resumed on the stretch; however, after escaping the attack, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu addressed the media and assured stakeholders of efforts being put in place to complete work on the road as early as possible and understood the anger of his constituents.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu insisted that it was the decision of the central government to take such a decision, and if they did not, electorates would vent their anger on them and not attack MPs who are not decision-makers since they did not own the public purse.
Dr Afriyie cautioned that New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP are not excited with the development, especially those from the Ashanti region and informed those in central government that they were aware such decisions are prerogative of the Executive, but MPs become an easy target.
“Nothing happens to the Ministers of Roads and Highways and Finance that take the decisions, but MPs are attacked just because of their decisions which is not right and whatever they do is needless, so when I start going hard on the government, nobody should talk to me,” he warned.