Communication Member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Communication Team, Freda Sarpong has called on the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin to openly condemn actions of the Madina Member of Parliament (MP), Francis Xavier-Sosu.
She describes the MP’s actions as wrong and seeks to bring the high office of Parliament and reputation of legislators into disrepute.
The MP is a person of interest for police after he led a protest against bad roads in his constituency. In the protest, some of the protestors blocked roads and burnt tyres and allegedly destroyed some property. Police have insisted that these amounted to criminal activity and have tried to invite the MP to assist with investigations, but he has declined.
The Police wrote to the Speaker of Parliament to request him to release the Madina MP, Francis Xavier Sosu, for interrogation but he also refused.
In a letter from Parliament to the police, it said the Madina MP will be engaged in legislative proceedings.
After the Speaker of Parliament refused the Police’s request, they (Police) proceeded to formally file charges, including causing damage to public property, against Francis Xavier Sosu in court over a demonstration he led in his constituency in Madina and he is expected to appear in court on November 8.
Commenting on the Speaker’s position, Freda Sarpong specified, “If you ask the Speaker of Parliament about the conduct of Sosu, he will tell you it was in a poor taste. The Madina MP blocked the road during rush hour and the Speaker needs to criticize him, and let him understand his actions were wrong.”
She believes the Speaker taking this action will lead to the ordinary Ghanaian showing respect to Parliamentarians. “Legislators must respect the noble house by doing what’s right and if they do, the people will also respect laws from Parliament,” she submitted in a panel discussion with Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9FM’s Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.