Accra, 17th October 2024 – Former MP Ras Mubarak has sharply criticized a motion put forward in Parliament by Haruna Iddrisu, the former Minority Leader, calling it a “bizarre and shocking frolic” that ignores the pressing concerns facing Ghanaians.
The motion, which sought the removal of four MPs contesting as independent candidates in the upcoming December 2024 elections, was deferred by the Speaker of Parliament.
Mr. Mubarak, in a statement, questioned the relevance of the motion, arguing that the focus of MPs should be on securing free and fair elections and addressing national crises.
While we await the decision of the Speaker, I must say the motion was a bizarre and shocking frolic that completely ignores the most pressing issues in the country.
Mubarak remarked, emphasizing that the true priority should be holding the Electoral Commission accountable for ensuring a credible election.
Mubarak criticized Parliament’s silence on the conduct of the Electoral Commissioner and lamented that MPs were wasting time on motions that would have little impact on the upcoming elections.
How does removing four rogue MPs solve the issue of the Electoral Commissioner’s adamant posturing? he asked.
He also highlighted the urgent issues Parliament should be addressing, including the alarming number of road accident fatalities, environmental degradation, and the faltering economy under President Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
Mubarak noted that over 1,500 Ghanaians had died in road accidents in the first quarter of 2024 alone, with nearly 10,000 injured in the first six months.
“LThe first act by the Minority is not a motion to impeach the President for his colossal failure to tackle the illegal mining crisis, nor a bill to prosecute parents like Bishop Salifu Amoako, whose minor children commit high crimes, Mubarak stated, urging MPs to focus on more pressing legislative priorities.
Mubarak, while reflecting on his own time in Parliament, mentioned his unsuccessful attempt to amend the Coroner’s Act to address concerns within the Muslim community regarding mandatory autopsies, an issue he felt Parliament continued to neglect.
He further criticized Haruna Iddrisu for failing to act during a 2022 constitutional violation, when several MPs, including Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo and Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, absented themselves from Parliament without permission, suggesting that this was a more pressing constitutional matter that had been ignored.
As the December 2024 election looms, Mubarak warned that the NDC should not lose focus on the most critical issue—the integrity of the electoral process.
We are going into a very difficult election where the referee (EC) is clearly biased against us. We can’t afford to take our eyes off the ball, he said, urging Parliament to prioritize holding the Electoral Commission accountable over motions that are “a waste of everyone’s time.
With the current Parliament’s term set to end in less than three months, Mubarak concluded that there is little political gain in removing MPs who have chosen to run as independents.
Story By : Robicon Mornahson
