Oti Bless to be sued if approved as Dept. Minister
A Ghanaian citizen, Richard Asante Yeboah, has threatened legal action against the State if the MP for Nkwanta North, John Bless Oti’s nomination as Deputy Minister for Local Government is approved.
The threat follows the emergence of an audio believed to be the MP’s voice, in which he is heard verbally attacking the Supreme Court on the same Montie FM 'Pampaso' programme, that saw the host of the show and two panelists imprisoned for contempt .
Mr. Oti himself is on record as accusing the Chief Justice of “conniving” with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in an attempt to reverse the election results in 2008 and in 2012 among other allegations.
The private citizen, Richard Asante Yeboah, on Eyewitness News noted his intent to “petition the President to withdraw his [Oti's] appointment” on Monday, August 1, and then “petition parliament and subsequently we will want to look at legal a action and send it to the Supreme Court.”
Mr. Yeboah, who said Mr. Oti had “scandalized institutions of state” insisted that his behavior was “an affront to our democracy and an affront to parliament itself for which he is a member.”
“We will petition the President to withdraw his nomination because it is unthinkable to look throughout breadth of individuals across the country and allow such an individual who had such an opinion to become a minister under this republic,” he added.
Mr. Yeboah also warned that if Mr. Oti was allowed to become the Local Government Deputy Minster, it would mean the “President actually endorses this conduct. For me it will be scandalous. It will be out of this world for a president to take such action and I am expecting the president not heed to such a call.”
Minority kicks against Oti's appointment
Members of the Minority in Parliament, have already kicked against the approval of John Bless Oti’s nomination as Deputy Minister for Local Government.
The Minority Spokesperson on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Joe Osei-Owusu, contended that the nominee formed part of the panel that made the contemptuous statements against the Supreme Court on Montie FM.
According to Mr. Osei-Wusu, the MP’s alleged participation in that programme, and the comments he made against the Chief Justice, were improper for a public official.
Speaker overrules observation
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, however overruled the observation from the Minority, saying, the matter being introduced was not known to the House.
He has since deferred the approval of Oti Bless for the appointment to Monday, August 1.
According to Citi News’ Duke Opoku Mensah, the Speaker has deferred the approval because of the “issues raised and the lack of the required number of nominations.”
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana