Parliament Pays Tribute To Appiah Menka

The minority leader in parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has suggested that a monumental statue be built in honour of the late renowned politician of the UP stock, Nana Akenten Appiah Menka, in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the development of the country.

He died in February and was buried in Kumasi yesterday.

Mr Iddrisu also suggested that an important road in Kumasi or Tamale be named after the late politician and industrialist. The road, he said, could be called 'Appiah Menka Constitutional Avenue or Road,' for his strong belief in constitutional rule and contributions to the Constitutional Review Committee set up by former President Prof John Atta Mills.

The minority leader described the late Appiah Menka, who clocked 84, and founding member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), as true and revered patriotic statesman, who gave all he could for the development and unity of the country.

He said the late statesman was one of the pioneers who wanted to industrialise the nation, with his setting up of the Apino Soap Factory that produced soap in large quantities for local consumption and for export.

The minority leader made these suggestions in his contribution to a tribute read in honour of the late Appiah Menka by the majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, in Parliament on Wednesday.

According to Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the demise of Mr Appiah Menka – who contributed immensely to the work of the Constitutional Review Committee – must impel members of the executive and parliament to make changes to the 1992 Constitution regarding the strength of parliament in constitutional rule and separation of powers.

He said Appiah Menka as an astute politician from the stables of the Busia/Danquah/Dombo tradition and former Member of Parliament in the Second Republic, never believed in the large size of government so it would be very befitting to his memory for parliament to come up with a permanent legislation that would determine the size of government and also the number of ministries to run government business so that the situation of creating more ministries would not arise.

The minority chief whip and National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Asawase, Mubarak Muntaka, said despite the fact that Appiah Menka was a member of the NPP, he always built bridges with his political opponents and offered them assistance when they needed it.

He said for instance, that when he became the MP for Asawase in 2005, the late Appiah Menka invited him to his house and counseled him to always build bridges with his political opponents and promote the supreme interest of the nation.

The MP for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwah, said the NPP has lost a gem and that the late Appiah Menka was his political mentor who always preached peace.

“I have personally lost a mentor and wish members of his family my deepest condolence,” he added.

The Minister of Works and Housing, who is the MP for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Akyea, said the entrepreneurial acumen of the man was superb because he was able to set up a factory in those difficult times to produce the Apino Soap.

By Thomas Fosu Jnr