15 MPs smuggle names into the attendance register

General News of Saturday, June 15, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-06-15

The first Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, said yesterday that 15 deputies had introduced their names in the votes and deliberations as being present in their absence.

Mr. Osei-Owusu, who failed to mention the names of the deputies, said that the legislators in question were not in Parliament on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, but that their names had been recorded in the votes and works – the provisional record of the previous sitting – as being present that day.

Practice in progress

He said that the practice, which had been in effect for some time now, was not good and undermined the integrity and credibility of MPs and the Legislative Assembly as a whole.

Mr. Osei-Owusu, the new Bekwai Patriotic Party (NDP), revealed this information following an objection raised by James Avedzi, Deputy Minority Leader and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.

Mr Avedzi complained that, although he was present in Parliament last Wednesday, he was declared absent.

Mr. Osei-Owusu said that the practice of missing and registering names was bad and that Parliament should not encourage it, adding that "we should not encourage the practice of is for people to inscribe their names and exercise them in their office, watch the debates [on television] and pretend that they are in the room ".

No traces

He said that there were many deputies whose names appeared as present and whose traces are never shown anywhere.

"By the way [the votes and proceedings]I have scored about 15 names from the record of yesterday that I have not seen anywhere [near Parliament]they are not part of the committees that met yesterday. I know for sure.

"How were their names inscribed in our archives ….. and this limits our integrity and it is important that we do not give room to people to doubt our integrity." There are some people I do not know. I have noticed every day I check and their names are here [in the votes and proceedings] but I have not seen them here for a month, "said Osei-Owusu.