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General News of Wednesday, 27 February 2013

Source: Joy FM

Deaths on N1 Highway: Residents angry with MP

Some residents along the George Walker Bush (N1) Highway in Accra are angry with their Member of Parliament (MP) for withdrawing an urgent question he was supposed to ask the Roads Minister.

They are accusing him of playing politics with their lives and have threatened to march to his house to get him to go back to Parliament and ask the question that will improve their lives in many significant respects.

The Okaikoi Central MP, Mr Patrick Boamah, had wanted to ask the minister what steps he was taking to ensure that the needless fatal accidents on the George Walker Bush Highway were curtailed.

His intended question generated a huge controversy on the floor with the majority members of the House questioning why members of the minority want to ask questions of ministers they failed to vet and approve.

Some members of the minority were also not in favour of their colleague asking questions of the minister.

Even though the Roads and Highways Minister Alhaji Amin Sulemani came to Parliament to answer the urgent question, the MP for Okaikoi Central had withdrawn the question.

It is not clear the reason for the withdrawal of the question even though there are speculations pressure was brought on him to make the withdrawal.

His constituents are angry with him for withdrawing the question.

Some of them told Joy News’ Francis Abban the MP has been irresponsible on the matter. Others also claim their MP has shown little concern about their needs and threatened to vote him out.

Even though he did not provide the answer on the floor because the question was never asked, the Roads Minister told Joy News the president has no intention to discriminate against Ghanaians.

Alhaji Amin Sulemani told Joy News adequate measures are being put in place to curtail, if not prevent road accidents on the Highway.

According to him, contracts have been awarded for line markings, regulation and warning signs as well as other safety measures along the highway.

The minister also stated that footbridges would be constructed at vantage points on the highway for passengers to use.