Legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has joined the chorus of voices from the Minority in Parliament calling for the resignation of the Controller and Accountant General, Mr. Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem.
The demand comes in response to Mr. Kwaning-Bosompem’s decision to participate in the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary primaries for the Akim Swedru Constituency.
Martin Kpebu cited Article 94(3) of the constitution, which outlines that certain officeholders, including members of the Police Service, the Prisons Service, the Armed Forces, the Judicial Service, the Legal Service, the Civil Service, the Audit Service, and others, are prohibited from contesting for the position of Member of Parliament.
According to Kpebu, in adherence to the constitution, Mr. Kwaning-Bosompem should resign from his position as Controller and Accountant General.
“The CLOGSSAG case actually says that if a civil servant becomes overt in his political affiliation, then he has to resign. It is not just about nomination alone. Let me read a part, apart from talking about the nomination, this is what it says.
“Upon a true and proper interpretation of the constitution, a member of the civil service or local government service does not have the right to remain a member of a civil service or local government service after his or her a nomination by the political party or otherwise to contest for election as a Member of Parliament.
“Moreover such a person shall resign from his or her office, immediately after his or her political activities become overt,” he said.
Martin Kpebu clarified that, according to the constitution, once an individual publicly declares their intention to run for a political position and actively engages in campaign activities before the primaries, these actions violate the stipulations outlined in Article 94(3).
This constitutional provision prohibits certain officeholders, irrespective of their political affiliation, from contesting for the position of Member of Parliament.
Kpebu emphasized that the concern lies in the public display of these political activities, and not the individual’s political alignment. He went on to state that the Controller and Accountant General’s decision to commence campaigning was considered irredeemable in the context of the constitutional prohibition.
“He is already campaigning, he has a campaign team, it’s overt. Look, this is beyond redemption. He just has to go,“ he added.
Responding to the debate that the Controller and Accountant General does not fall under the civil service, he said members of a ministry are part of the civil service, emphasizing that the government accountant is part of the Ministry of Finance, hence he is a civil servant.
“What we cannot run away from is the Controller and Accountant General is a department. It is under the Ministry of Finance and members of the ministry are civil servants.
“Mr Kwaning-Bosompem, we expect him to resign first thing tomorrow [Friday] morning,” he added.