'Terrorists' threaten NDC appointments c'ttee members

Parliament Will Not Be Deterred By Threats — Blay The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee,Mr Freddie Blay,has stated that Parliament will not be deterred from its democratic duties by threatening letters.

He said Parliament treated such letters with the contempt that they deserved, although the security agencies were alerted.Mr Blay said this in reaction to a threatening letter received by the Minority Leader and member of the committee,Mr A.S. Bagbin, which was read during the vetting of ministerial nominees yesterday.

The letter, which was signed by a nameless gang of six was purportedly posted from Koforidua to Mr Bagbin.

The letter warned “the gang of four” namely, Mr Bagbin, Dr Benjamin Kumbour, Mr John Dramani Mahama and Mr E.T. Mensah, all members of the Appointments Committee, to refrain from frustrating, and tarnishing the good names of ministerial nominees.

Mr Blay said the writing of threatening letters could not in any way frighten MPs who had sworn to defend democracy in the country.

He said Ghana and parliamentary democracy had come far and that Parliament was blossoming.

Mr A.S.K. Bagbin said such letters were not worth spending time on.

He said Parliament would not be derailed by them.

Ms Elizabeth Ohene, who was asked what she would have done if such a letter had been sent to her, said she would also have treated the letter with the contempt that it deserved.

She said it would take some time for Ghanaians to learn about the work of Parliament, especially when one took into consideration the history of Parliament in the country.

The New Patriotic Party(NPP) MP for New Juaben North, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, in his contribution,said MPs had received such letters which were considered as letters from pranks.

“We need to ignore such letters,” he stressed.