MP for Effutu angrily walks out of Committee meeting

• Posted on December 4, 2013December 4, 2013
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, angrily walked out of an ongoing meeting by the Finance Committee of Parliament, accusing its chairman of covering up rot at Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).

He told Joy News moment after he had stormed out of the meeting Tuesday evening that Mr. James Klutse Avedzi, who chairs the Committee, strenuously prevented him from asking teething questions as to how monies given to the Authority were expended.

The Finance Committee has been considering budget estimates for the office of government machinery.

According to him, when officials of SADA appeared before the Committee to explain how it appropriated 200 million Ghana cedis for its programmes and defend why they should be given more funds for its activities, he detected that something was not adding up.

But his attempt to demand clarifications met the displeasure of the Chairman, who virtually prevented him from probing further.

“The chairman would not allow me, the CEO was just wobbling, and where he could obviously answer, he dodged it. The chairman will intervene, pretend the question was confusing,” Afenyo-Markin claimed.

“Anytime I raise issues about SADA, I don’t do so with partisan intention, but I am so disappointed in the chairman of the Finance Committee today,” he stressed.

He recalled when the former Chief Executive of the Authority came to the Committee, members were told that a private company Asongtaba Cottage Industries engaged by SADA to carry a number of activities, had invested 25 million with SADA contributing 15 million.

However, he said the story was different when the Acting CEO came to the Committee today.

According to him, Dr. Charles Jebuni told the Committee that Asongtaba Cottage Industries is a majority stakeholder in the project with the explanation that the government contributed only 12 million, while Asontaba invested 15 million cash.

“This is completely at variance with what the former CEO told us way back in March. I found nothing doing there and I left the meeting, and it was very disappointing”, he intimated.

He therefore warned against partisan politics in every issue even when it is inimical to the development of the country.  On that basis, Mr. Afenyo-Markin questioned the government’s fight against corruption, describing it as “rhetoric”.

“I have lost faith in the whole essence of being in politics,” the MP claimed.

But Mr. James Avedzi told Joy News he was “surprised” his colleague would bring parliamentary procedures on radio for discussion.

He also denied allegation that he gagged the Effutu MP.

He said he was only carrying out his duty as the chairman of the Committee to ensure that sittings are well moderated.

According to him, Mr. Afenyo-Markin was allowed to ask three questions with long history, and was only cautioned to be brief with his fourth question to give other Committee members a chance to ask their questions in order for the Committee to move to other issues on its agenda.

“He stood up, packed his books, papers and left. I do not think as a Member of Parliament, who has been paid with public money to do your work, if any issue crops up at the committee level, you pack your books and papers and leave the committee and decide to bring it on radio to be discussed. I am ashamed of this kind of behaviour by this honourable member. If he continues that way he will not learn anything in Parliament.”

-joyonline