Independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Fomena and Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah has rejected reports that he is currently under pressure to decide whether or not he will stand for the elections again in 2024 on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr Asiamah who was the incumbent lawmaker for the area on the ticket of the NPP ahead of the 2020 election was ejected from the party by the leadership.
Subsequently, his seat was declared vacant in parliament by the then Speaker, Professor Mike Aaron Ocaquye. But he contested as an independent candidate and won in the election which saw the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) all gaining 137 seats each.
He subsequently wrote to the new speaker Alban Bagbin informing him about his decision to do business with the NPP’s side of the House, a decision that saw to the NPP being declared the majority in Parliament.
A statement issued and signed by his aide, Seth Oduro on Thursday March 18 said “Our attention has been drawn to, a publication in which the honorable Member of Parliament and second deputy speaker of Parliament, Andrew Amoako Asiamah is alleged to have stated that he is under pressure to declare whether or not he intends to contest the 2024 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“As a matter of fact the honourable Andrew Amoako Asiamah has not granted any media interview since he was sworned in as the second deputy speaker of the 8th Parliament on January 7, 2021.
“We are therefore surprised that a number of portals have soured their publication to a purported interview that never happened in the first place.
“This is not only unethical and an affront to good journalistic standards but also dangerous for the country’s budding democracy. We wish to put on record that there was no such interview and the claim is false and a figment of someone’s imagination”.
Below is the full statement…
I AM NOT UNDER PRESSURE TO DECLARE WHETHER I WILL CONTEST 2024 ELECTIONS ON THE TICKET OF NPP-FOMENA MP
Our attention has been drawn to, a publication in which the honorable Member of Parliament and second deputy speaker of Parliament ,Andrew Amoako Asiamah is alleged to have stated that he is under pressure to declare whether or not he intends to contest the 2024 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
As a matter of fact the honourable Andrew Amoako Asiamah has not granted any media interview since he was sworned in as the second deputy speaker of the 8th Parliament on January 7, 2021.
We are therefore surprised that a number of portals have soured their publication to a purported interview that never happened in the first place.
This is not only unethical and an affront to good journalistic standards but also dangerous for the country’s budding democracy.
We wish to put on record that there was no such interview and the claim is false and a figment of someone’s imagination.
We are aware of the continued attempts to soil the hard earned reputation of the honourable MP in order to court him disaffection.
The MP is not under any pressure whatsoever to declare his stance on the matter.
Indeed the constituents who sent him to parliament to represent them as an independent candidate perfectly understand the special circumstances surrounding his electionn..
They are happy with his performance thus far.
Honourable Andrew Amoako Asiamah is also grateful for the honour done him upon his elevation as second speaker of the August house.
For now he is busy contributing his quota towards consolidating the constitutional order,the national development agenda as well as the development of Fomena and the Ashanti Region as a whole.
He will not be detracted by those who want him to fail so they can ride on his shoulders to launch their political carrier.
We urge the good people of Ghana and particularly Fomena constituents to ignore the publication with the contempt it deserves.
Signed…
Seth Oduro
Aide to the Fomena MP