The 2014 World Cup controversies
Though it is almost becoming a norm in the nation’s often heated political discourse for leading political figures riding on political expediency to make wild and outrageous statements against opponents and get away with it, Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, may not be that lucky, as his pointless show of youthful exuberance and unsubstantiated remarks have landed him in trouble.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP, who opportunistically took advantage of the spontaneous national outcry over the management of Ghana’s participation in the just ended ill-fated World cup to level wild allegations against former Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie, is likely to face Parliament’s Privileges Committee to answer charges on what was thought to be an unruly parliamentary conduct, unbecoming of a member of the nation’s august house.
While Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, who was a former Accountant at Multimedia Group, thought he could get away with unfounded and unsubstantiated corruption allegations he boisterously leveled against Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and the Mahama government, a “concerned Ghanaian,” Koku Mawuli Nanegbe, has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to task the privileges committee to investigate the MP’s unparliamentarily conduct and if necessary apply punitive measures to serve as deterrent for others.
According to the petitioner, the Asante Akim North MP’s conducts and utterances in the media during the World Cup tournament in Brazil “appear inappropriate and tantamount to contempt of Parliament and Breach of Privilege.”
Read below the petition to Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho
C/O P.O. BOX KD 478
KANDA – ACCRA
JULY 16, 2014
THE HON. SPEAKER
PARLIAMENT HOUSE
ACCRA –GHANA
Dear Sir,
PETITION
I humbly wish to request of your high office to task Parliamentary Privileges Committee to investigate and if possible sanction Hon. Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, Member of Parliament [MP] for Asante Akyem North Constituency over certain conducts and utterances of his that appear inappropriate and tantamount to contempt of Parliament or Breach of Privilege.
Hon. Baah Agyemang has most part of the Brazil 2014 World Cup period been scampering from one radio station to the other engaging in seemingly deliberate and scandalous utterances against people including Government officials on issues relating to Ghana’s participation in the World Cup.
The Honorable Member on the said radio stations aside the usual introductions [Name and MP Status] by the program hosts would state; “I am a Member of the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Youth and Sports, I have reliable information.”
“…Government has airlifted 950 NDC supporters to Brazil and has 120 extra to send. The Minister of Youth and Sports is making $30 from every single supporter’s daily wage and has personally bagged $2.6million out of that,” he would proceed.
“The Youth and Sports Minister has taken $5 million from government for airfares. The Committee on Youth and Sports had tried on many occasions to invite the Minister to present the World Cup budget for scrutiny but he wouldn’t attend upon the committee,” Hon Baah Agyemang would further indicate.
On one particular radio station, Hon. Baah Agyemang spewed out what appeared to be the usual baseless claims and specifically repeated the point that Minister of Youth and Sports wouldn’t honor invitation to Parliament. A colleague MP and a co-panelist on the show tried to draw his attention to the power that Parliament wields, Hon Baah Agyemang surprisingly only resorted to blurt out, saying “Parliament isn’t working; the Youth and Sports committee hasn’t met in a long time.”
Hon Baah Agyemang has on radio sought to undermine the expression of satisfaction by his colleagues Youth and Sports Committee members who visited Brazil to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the accommodation issues for football fans as reported in the press.
Curiously, after the attempt in putting out all the above claims, Hon. Baah Agyemang on July 2, 2014 joined Hon Isaac Asiamah, Ranking Member on the Youth and Sports Sub-Committee and the Minority who in a full blown press conference among other things sought to seek information from Government on issues relating to Black stars participation in Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Enumerated below [and quoting verbatim from the press conference] are some of the questions that in the estimation of Hon Isaac Asiamah and the Minority are begging for answers;
1. How many “supporters” did the government sponsor to Brazil 2014?
2. How much did the Government release to each supporter for accommodation and meals per day for Brazil 2014?
3. How much in total was spent on each “supporter”? etc
From the press conference addressed by Hon Isaac Asiamah, it has become very evident that Hon. Baah Agyemang doesn’t after all have RELIABLE INFORMATION as he was claiming and churning out on radio. Hon Baah Agyemang’s conducts and utterances appeared inappropriate and could constitute a case of Contempt of Parliament or Breach of Privilege as indicated in Parliamentary Standing Order 30[2] which states:
“Any act or omission which affronts the dignity of Parliament or which tends either directly, or indirectly to bring the name of Parliament into disrepute.”
Also based on other provisions on Contempt of Parliament or Breach of Privilege as indicated in the following Parliamentary Standing Orders 30 [e], [f], [h]
30 [e] “Any act or conduct calculated or intended to deceive Parliament or any of its Committees.”
30 [f] “Deliberate misleading of Parliament or any of its Committees;
30 [h] “Publication of false, perverted, misleading, distorted, fabricated or scandalous reports, books or libels reflecting on the proceedings in Parliament.”
I wish Parliament thoroughly verify its records within the period to be sure no portion of the seemingly misleading and false information reflect on its proceedings and to as well have the perpetrator, Hon Baah Agyemang if found guilty severely sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others.
I am ready and willing to cooperate with Parliament in getting to the bottom of the matter.
Counting on your usual cooperation.
Yours faithfully,
Koku Mawuli Nanegbe
[Concerned Ghanaian]
0243388488
