Renowned US-based Ghanaian lawyer and scholar, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, appears to have taken a swipe at Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, over his “I now understand why MPs need sirens” statement.
A Plus, in an interview on Joy FM, stated that he now understands why MPs require sirens to beat traffic.
According to A Plus, while he vehemently opposed the advocacy by MPs to be given the legal right to use sirens, his few days in office as a legislator has influenced his change of mind.
“It is not an easy task at all. Today, for instance, I was with the president in my constituency. The Ahmadiyya Muslim community had their annual convention. You know it’s in my constituency; that’s where they have it — in Gomoa Pomadze. I had to be at the convention and in Parliament at the same time.
“I remember that before I entered Parliament, I was complaining about MPs and why they wanted sirens. I called my friend, who is a dispatch rider. I said, ‘Where are you?’ He said, ‘I am at my place.’ I said, ‘Please, I need you to take me out of this traffic and get me to the constituency now and bring me back to Parliament,’” he said.
Reacting to this in a post shared on X on Friday, Professor Kwaku Asare, widely known as Kwaku Azar, said that this would justify why MPs must be paid ex-gratia — the retirement benefit for MPs under Article 71, which a section of the public has called to be cancelled.
“My brother, A Plus, now understands why MPs need sirens. Next, he will understand ex gratia,” Kwaku Azar wrote.
Kwame A Plus is one of four independent Members of Parliament in the 9th Parliament of Ghana who have all elected to vote with the National Democratic Congress, which is the Majority in the House.
This is also because, according to the current Standing Orders of Parliament, until independent MPs are seven in number, they cannot form their own caucus in the House.
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