Former National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Techiman South, Adjei Mensah has indicated that some MPs will continue to be lured into taking bribes as much as long as inequality exists in the House.
He asserts that because of the financial hardships certain MPs, particularly those who are in the minority or who are members of the opposition party, are experiencing, they would continue to exchange their votes for favors.
“We have to situate the issue in its right context. With the way we conduct our politics in this country, such issues will continue for as long as we don’t change things. When you are demanding something from God and you don’t get it, if the devil offers it you, you have to take it.
“Parliament is not a church; we do not go to parliament to worship God. We go to fight for power. The Akans have a saying that when things become critical in your quest for power, sell your mother to acquire the power and when you get the power, use it to get your mother back… Money is now an underlying factor in our politics,” he stated on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen.
The former MP was commenting on the voting conducted in parliament on Friday, March 24, 2023, when some members of the minority caucus defied a directive by their party and voted for the approval of some six ministers nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The incident has led to allegations of inducement and bribery being made against the MPs who voted in violation of the directive by the opposition party during the secret balloting.
But according to the former NDC MP, members of the minority caucus who are impoverished and are victims of inequality cannot feed on loyalty to their party.
“There is someone who knows that the majority will by all means pay something to them ahead of their primaries and such a person knows very well that he will be saying goodbye to parliament if he refuses to accept such an offer.
“So, if by the grace of God, something is being offered to you, you are claiming party loyalty or whatever. We don’t eat that loyalty. If because of loyalty you won’t accept it that is your choice. But you are going to come home to live that kind of miserable life that former MPs live,” he stated.
Asked by the host if members of the House do not work with principles, the former Techiman South MP retorted saying “Massa, if you can eat principles, go and eat it.”