Replace Carlos Ahenkorah as MP candidate - Pastor urges NPP

A pastor of the World Evangelistic Ministry, Rev Alex Addai has asked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) leadership to replace Mr Carlos Ahenkorah as its parliamentary candidate in the 2020 general elections for breaching COVID-19 protocols.

Mr Ahenkorah, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema West, is the party’s candidate to contest the December elections.

He had to resign as Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry after testing positive for COVID-19 and visiting voters’ registration centres, in a clear breach of protocols, which requires positive people to remain in isolation.

Rev Addai made this request in a reaction to the several petitions before the Inspector General of Police (IGP) demanding the arrest and prosecution of the MP, which the police are yet to act on.

Some groups and individuals, including some polling station officers in the Tema West Constituency, have also petitioned the NPP to withdraw the candidature of Mr Ahenkorah and quickly replace him before the EC opens nominations in October.

According to the Reverend Minister, the MP does not have the moral authority to be a representative of the people after breaking the very law the august house, of which he is a member, enacted.

Rev Addai pointed out that if a lawmaker violates the law with impunity, he loses the legitimacy of being a lawmaker.

He added that “the MP should be made to face the full rigours of the law,” emphasising further that “if laws are unevenly applied, it gives birth to lawlessness and utter disorder.”

Rev Addai stated that several Ghanaians have been incarcerated for breaching the Covid-19 protocols, including pastors, emphasising that Mr Ahenkorah is not above the law.

He noted that the MP’s resignation as a Deputy Minister of state is not a punishment for breaking the Covid-19 law.