NUGS shock over MP’s narcotic drug adventure

Accra, Nov. 22, GNA - The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Tuesday expressed disgust at what it described as shocking confirmation that Mr Eric Amoateng, Nkoranza North New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament (MP's) was arrested in New York for alleged drug trafficking. The MP and another Ghanaian, Nii Okai Adjei were busted in the US at the weekend with 136 pounds of heroin with a street value of six million dollars. The NUGS in a statement signed by its President, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the MP's conduct as: "The nastiest dent ever brought upon an arm of Government in Ghana's entire democratic history." It pointed out that it was not for fun that MPs were referred to as Honourables, and that what was expected of them was good and unblemished conduct and most importantly they should be law abiding. The statement cautioned against unnecessary politicisation of the matter, saying, it must not be capitalised on for political gain but should be roundly condemned by all for the disgrace it had brought to Parliament and Ghana as a whole.
NUGS also called on all political parties to draw useful lessons from this by ensuring that thorough background check was done on those who wished to contest elections on their tickets.
It asked that selection of parliamentary candidates should not be dictated by monetary influence.
Political parties must not just reduce parliamentary candidate selection to mere ability to win and the highest bidder, the statement said.