The Deputy Trade Minister and Member of Parliament for the Tema West Constituency Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah has resigned as a Minister after he breached COVID-19 protocols even though he tested positive for Coronavirus.
However, some Ghanaians have said that the Minister and MP resigning from his position is not enough as they argue that he must also leave his position as a Member of Parliament.
Private Legal Practitioner, Lawyer Abraham Amaliba speaking on the issue has opined that people have every right to call for the removal of Carlos Ahenkorah as an MP because he endangered the lives of his constituents.
In an interview with Kwame Afrifa Mensah on the ‘Epa Hoa Daben’ show, he explained: “I can see where they are coming from and I agree with them because we need to show leadership in this case. If you observe the way people living in our villages perceive this disease, when you have an MP behaving this way, you cannot forgive him. The people believe that COVID-19 is a disease only for the elite. So if you are a member of this administration what you can do is to ensure that you respect the protocols.
Now we don’t do contract tracing because everyone is tired and the health facilities have said that they don’t have supplies. Noguchi is also saying that they don’t have PPEs. So at this stage that he has come out to put the lives of his constituents in danger, I agree with the people calling for his removal as an MP. This is to show that we need to begin to hold our leaders accountable. That is the only way that our democracy can grow. This is about good governance apart from the health and scientific implications.
Don’t forget that he and his driver have all tested positive for COVID-19 and this is a double risk. We don’t know who the driver had contact with. But because he is the minister the focus is on him. To show leadership he has to resign as a member of parliament”.
He furthered that as an MP, Carlos was present when the Imposition of Restrictions Act was passed into law in parliament and as such what he did was inexcusable.
“The imposition of restrictions act was emanated from parliament. He was there when he the law was passed. So for him to sit in parliament pass a law and then come out to flout the law is a no-no”, Lawyer Amaliba emphasized.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah
