Akufo-Addo must stop behaving like a mafia boss and threatening MPs – Dr Amoako Baah

Dr Richard Amoako Baah has descended heavily on President Akufo-Addo for allegedly threatening to cause some New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament to lose their seats because they disagree with him on his governance style and policies.

According to the Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the President does not have the power to cause any MP to lose a seat in parliament.

Dr Amoako Baah who himself is a staunch member of the NPP spoke in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, December 20, 2022.

“It is completely unacceptable for the President to behave like a mafia boss, that if you don’t go along with what I want, you will be removed. No! This is a democracy, you don’t get to that, you don’t have that power. That is an abuse of power,” myjoyonline.com quotes him as saying.

Some NPP MPs have alleged that their seats in Parliament have been threatened because of their call for the sacking of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

READ ALSO: NMC chairman calls for Asiedu Nketia’s resignation (video)

One of the lawmakers, the Subin MP, Eugene Boakye who was part of those who voted to block the GHC80 million budgetary allocation for the building of the controversial national cathedral, said he is unfazed by the threats.

The NPP majority caucus in parliament had demanded the dismissal of Ofori-Atta and threatened to boycott government business and the presentation of the 2023 Budget if he was going to present it.

However, they rescinded their decision following a meeting with the party’s council of elders. Before that, they had met with President Akufo-Addo and he pleaded with them to exercise restraint and allow Ofori-Atta to complete the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Dr Amoako Baah said the MPs lost their power the minute they accepted to back down on their stance following the meetings with the President and the NPP’s council of elders.

“You are 80 members supposedly and then 17 more -97 and then you go and talk to some so-called elders, this is what happens when you are not consistent .. The transaction they made has not been done yet, so why would you go and say those things and the President, you know he is unforgiving, don’t cross him. So, if you are going to do it, do it,” he said.

Aside from the national cathedral, the opposition National Democratic Congress MPs managed to block the government's plans to demolish the Accra International Conference Centre and construct a new one at €116million (GHS1.3billion).

They successfully blocked proposals to open new Ghanaian Embassies in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Mexico.

The MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who doubles as the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee disclosed these in a Facebook post.

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