Nana Akomea defends Asiedu Nketia’s appointment onto Parliamentary Service Board

Nana Akomea, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party has defended the appointment of Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, onto the Parliamentary Service Board.

According to him, the NDC scribe qualifies to be on the board as he is a former two-time member of Parliament.

He explained that it is within Bagbin’s right to appoint an ex-member of Parliament as a member of the board and Asiedu Nketia fits the position.

He expressed the hope that Asiedu Nketia will offer some help to the board and ensure that it discharges its duty effectively.

"Parliamentary Service Board is like any other board in the country. The Speaker of Parliament has the power to appoint one or two and it provides for two former members. Asiedu Nketia qualifies because he is an ex-Member of Parliament.

“Speaker has the power, so there is nothing wrong. Normally, the NDC has one former MP and the NPP also has one. So I believe the NPP will appoint a member. When Hackman was a member of the board, the NDC had another person.

“It has generated reactions because of Asiedu Nketia’s position as General Secretary of the NDC. Speaker has the right and Asiedu Nketia qualifies. I hope he will help with his experience and knowledge,” he said on Peace FM.

Meanwhile, Asiedu Nketia has hit back at people criticizing his appointment on the Parliamentary Service Board.

According to him, his appointment is not an intrusion of Parliament as his work as General Secretary of the NDC will not clash with his new role.

“Nobody has explained to us how my work as a General Secretary will be at variance with the work of a board member. All they are saying is that because I am a General Secretary, I will be introducing politics into Parliament but Parliament is the house of politics so those who are saying [thus] may have some other reason for saying so.

“Otherwise their reasons are very weak and feeble and there is nothing in this country that says that if you are holding another position, you cannot be a board member. Where the law bars you from becoming a board member, the law states so clearly but in this case, it wasn’t like that,” he explained.