Obiri Boahen wants term limits for MPs

The Deputy General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party, Nana Obiri Boahen, has proposed a term limit for members of Parliament.

That, according to him, would enable many people who also want to serve as MPs to do so.

“If eight-year term limits are set for the President why not MPs,” Mr Obiri Boahen said on Starr FM on Monday.

His comments come after the NPP disqualified 14 parliamentary aspirants during the party’s vetting in the Eastern Region.

Some notable disqualified aspirants, include  Philip Addison,  lead counsel for the NPP during the landmark 2012 election petition at the Supreme Court.

It was supposed to be a three-horse race between the lawyer,  the incumbent MP, Nana Ama Dokua,  who is also a Deputy Information Minister; and William Agyei Twumasi, an Accountant at Akropong Presbyterian College of Education who was also disqualified.

But until the two disqualified aspirants win an appeal, only the incumbent will be running. Mr Obiri Boahen explained that the disqualification of Mr Addison would be reviewed by the leadership of the party.

Atiwa East

At Atiwa East,  the script was not different. All four aspirants -Ernest Dade Owiredu, Kudjoe Amegah Kafui, Eric Agyarko, and Dr Benny Frank who were contesting the incumbent MP for Atiwa East, Abena Osei Asare, a Deputy Finance Minister, were also disqualified.

Dr Samuel Owusu Akyem, the only aspirant who was contesting the MP for Atiwa West, Kwasi Amoako Atta, who doubles as the Roads and Highways Minister, was also disqualified.

The former Executive Director of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Gloria Ofori -Boadu, who was contesting Samuel Atta Akyea in Abuakwa South was disqualified. This means the Minister of Works and Housing will go unopposed.

In the Abirim constituency, its MP, John Osei Frimpong, is likely to go unopposed after two of his contenders–Frank Mireku Ahemah and Daniel Amoako Afrifa, were disqualified.

Frank Mireku Ahemah was arrested at the vetting ground by Police over allegations of fraud.

At Fanteakwa North, the incumbent MP, Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah, may also go unopposed following the disqualification of his two contenders-Moro Sakyiama Yakubu and Freeman Ofori Agyarko.

Mr Boahen urged all disgruntled aspirants to appeal over their disqualification.