MPs threaten boycott over freezing of HIPC, GETFund accounts

Members of Parliament are furious about the decision by government to freeze their HIPC accounts without their notice.

According to the MPs, government has also failed to pay their share of statutory funds, including Health fund, District Assemblies' Common Fund, Ghana and the Education Trust (GET) Fund.

The angry Parliamentarians, particularly the Minority, have therefore, threatened to boycott government business if their accounts are not released.

The Parliamentarians are sitting from Monday through to Friday, to consider and approve some government business.

MP for Obuasi East in the Ashanti Region, Edward Enning, who confirmed the freezing of their HIPC accounts to Joy News' parliamentary correspondent Elton John Brobbey said, the action by government is "criminal".

Some new MPs on both sides of the divide have also threatened to abstain from approving loans in the House if government does not address the situation.

MP for Nsawam Adoagyiri Frank Annor Dompreh who spoke on their behalf, said, it is strange that for more than nine months, nothing has been paid into their accounts.

"We are particularly worried because, the President, [John Mahamah] was once an MP, he appreciates the difficulty; he is weakening the influence and the importance of Members of Parliament," Mr. Annor Dompreh stated.

"To some extent, some cheques have been given [but] you go to the bank and the banks say there is no money".

He said the situation has brought the MPs under undue pressure from some of their constituents who depend on them for assistance from such funds.