First Deputy Speaker under pressure to resign

Pressure is mounting on the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Ebo Barton-Odro to resign, in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling in the Martin Amidu versus Waterville case.

Latest to demand the head of Mr. Barton-Odro is the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), which wants the Cape Coast North Member of Parliament to first resign his position as a Deputy Speaker to “restore dignity to Parliament”.

The PPP further wants Mr. Barton-Odro to step down as a Member of Parliament “as a sign of respect and remorse for his actions against the State when he was Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney-General”.

Mr. Barton-Odro was on record to have defended his actions not to defend the Republic of Ghana as Deputy Attorney-General to the effect that, the State did not have a defence against the claims made by Waterville Holdings Limited.

A statement issued Tuesday by the party’s National Secretary, Kofi Asamoah-Siaw said: “The PPP campaigned on the platform of incorruptible leadership and we wish to hold Mr. Barton-Odro to this principle”.

“We cannot continue to glorify persons whose actions or omissions have injured the State by giving them additional responsibilities, especially in positions where they are expected to hold governments or the executive accountable,” it added.

The PPP called on President John Mahama to “demonstrate a clear and present commitment to the fight against corruption and put pressure on the party he leads to strip Mr. Barton-Odro of the position if he refuses to resign.

“It has become more evident the need to separate the Attorney-General’s Office from the Ministry of Justice so that corrupt officials would not procure party cards as an insurance against prosecution,” the statement said.