Advocacy group, the Strategic Thinkers Network (STRANEK Africa) has called on Parliament to conduct a full-scale investigation into the alleged cases of impersonation in the House.
Dome Kwabenya Member of Parliament (MP), Sarah Adwoa Safo, and the MP for Akuapem North Constituency, Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei have been in the news lately over accusations of impersonations in Parliament during Majority's approval of the 2022 budget statement.
Although the Minority had launched investigations into the alleged impersonation, nothing is being said about it.
With STRANEK Africa taking an interest in the matter, it says Parliament must get to the bottom of the allegations to safeguard its integrity as an institution.
“We contend that it is in the best interest of Parliament to fully investigate these allegations and publish the findings of the investigations for the general public and also bring those who may be culpable to book,” part of a STRANEK Africa statement has said.
It adds, “We, therefore, call for a full-scale investigation to determine whether Hon. Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei was indeed in Parliament including Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo and punishment ought to be meted out to perpetrators and accomplices if the investigation vindicates the allegations.”
According to the group, the allegation of impersonation justifies the need to have a biometric register for Members of Parliament.
STRANEK Africa insists that this will go a long way to mitigate the lingering issues of impersonation or feigning presence in the House.
Read the full STRANEK Africa statement below:
For immediate release:
13.12.2021
STRANEK AFRICA CALLS FOR A FULL SCALE PROBE INTO THE ALLEGED CASES OF IMPERSONATION IN PARLIAMENT
STRANEK Africa is deeply concerned about the alleged cases of impersonation of two Members of Parliament on the majority side during the consideration of the 2022 budget.
It is alleged that Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya who doubles as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Sarah Adwoa Safo was absent due to an extension of her leave granted by the President; the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry and Member of Parliament for Akuapem North Constituency, Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei, according our research, gave birth on Saturday, 4th December, 2021 in the United States of America. Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo has come out to debunk the fact that she was absent from Parliament on the approval of the 2022 budget which the Minority side of Parliament claim to be investigating the alleged impersonation of Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo.
STRANEK-Africa has taken notice of the silence of Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry and Member of Parliament for Akuapem North Constituency, Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei who was allegedly absent at the approval of the controversial 2022 Budget but was counted as present.
STRANEK Africa is concerned because the allegations of impersonation in Parliament is something Ghanaians must take seriously. Apart from the fact that these acts are subversive and undermine our democracy it also undermines the integrity of Parliament as an institution at a time that Ghanaians are looking up to Parliament to exercise its oversight role over the Executive. If such allegations are proven to be true then it questions Parliament’s moral authority to hold the Executive and other institutions of state accountable.
What is more worrying is that Parliament as an institution has failed to make a public statement on these developments.
We content that it is in the best interest of Parliament to fully investigate these allegations and publish the findings of the investigations for the general public and also bring those who may be culpable to book.
We therefore call for a full-scale investigation to determine whether Hon. Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei was indeed in Parliament including Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo and punishment ought to be meted out to perpetrators and accomplices if the investigation vindicates the allegations.
This also justifies the need to have a biometric register for Members of Parliament because it will go a long way to mitigate the lingering issues of impersonation or feigning presence in the House.
We are all involved in building our motherland, Ghana.
Signed.
Nii Tettey Tetteh
Executive Director
+233 559 042 914
Eyram Norglo
Deputy Director of Research
+ 233 266 119 773
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