Ex NDC MP lauds Akufo-Addo's call to parliament but..

Former Deputy Minister of Trade, Murtala Mohammed, has welcomed the call by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to parliament to exercise effective control over the Executive arm of government and the country’s public finances. While describing the call as a good one, he said it is important for Parliament to see to its implementation “It doesn’t take the President to tell Parliament to perform its mandate but it is a welcome news”, Murtala said Contributing to a newspaper discussion segment of TV3’s magazine show, New Day, on Wednesday, the former Member of Parliament for Nantong, said in order for parliamentarians to be effective and independent their conditions of service should be relooked at. “If we want them to be independent and work effectively, we must look at some aspects of the law. The working conditions of MPs are unacceptable because Parliamentarians are the least paid in the public service of the country and in Africa. They are the least paid” he said. He added: “They attend social functions in communities. They have enormous responsibilities in their communities yet their conditions are bad, how can that person discharge his or her duties?” Direct call on Veep Mr. Mohammed called on President Akufo-Addo to direct his call to his Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, saying, “the call must also go to the Vice President because we have a Vice President who when the Minority in Parliament demanded transparency and accountability into the issuance of $2.25m bond told the Minority they are ignorant”. “He condescended and disrespected Parliament so such; call should go to the vice President as well,” he said The National Nasara Coordinator of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamal-Deen Abdulai, on his part said “If we don’t take our Parliament seriously, it will affect us”. He added: “Parliament is doing so well but we need to strengthen what it is doing”. By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|Onua 95.1FM|editors.3news.com|Ghana