The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh has asked Parliament to re-examine the role of the newly elected Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who is a member of the Parliamentary Service Board.
To him, being the leader of a political party, Mr Asiedu Nketiah would not be able to offer neutral and constructive advice to the Speaker of Parliament and must, therefore, resign.
He was speaking at a dialogue with the core leadership of Parliament on harnessing the dividends of Ghana’s democracy over the last 30 years organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday.
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh questioned the consistency in NDC MPs calling for the removal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta when they refused to remove Seth Terkper as Finance Minister during the NDC era.
He expressed worry over the membership of political leaders on the Parliamentary Service Board.
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh changed the course of the discussion when he asked the House to re-examine the role of the newly elected Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Asiedu Nketiah, as a member of the Parliamentary Service Board.
“Sometimes, we need to look beyond now into the future. Peter Ala Adjetey was a member of the NMC and because of him, the Constitution was amended to say that anybody who holds political office should not be a member of the NMC.
“So if anybody holding political office cannot be a member of the Commission, how can somebody leading a political party advice the Speaker who is supposed to demonstrate objectivity and neutrality of the highest sense,” he asked.
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Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh noted that although the current arrangement for political leaders to be on Parliament’s advisory board appears beneficial, the future consequences are dire.
“There was this concern that now Mr Asiedu Nketia is the Chairman of the NDC, he should not be part of the advisory group to the Speaker and serve on the board, he disagreed. There are certain things that have immediate benefit to us but the long-term consequences are not good,” he explained.