Legal practitioner and Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South Samuel Atta Akyea has advised parliament to stop paying the salary of his colleague MP for Talensi Robert Masore Nachinab Doameng since his new role as a traditional leader bars him from holding himself out as a member of the House.
According to the minority MP, it is wrong for his colleague to continue drawing his salary from the state when he is aware that the constitution does not permit him to continue serving in the lawmaking chamber.
“The constitution is so clear that you don’t have to debate it. It says a person shall not be eligible to be a member of parliament if he is a chief, and that settles the controversy.
“I just want to believe it’s a matter of the administrative processes but constitutionally there is a void. The fact that he has already gone through the traditional and customary processes, then he is a chief,” he stated on Citi FM.
He added: “His salary should have been terminated from the time he was installed a chief. Because you cannot have the benefit from an office that you do not belong. In fact if you are not careful, it will amount to stealing.
“So by the sheer force of the constitution, there is no way he can become a member of parliament and if he is not a member of parliament how can he have the benefit of the emolument of a member of parliament?
“I think that as early as possible, he should confer with his lawyers and write to the speaker of parliament to inform him so they stop paying his salary”.
The majority chief whip Muntaka Mohammed Tuesday filed a motion before the House for the Talensi seat to be declared vacant since the occupant was installed chief some weeks ago.
But the Minority has challenged the motion arguing there is no evidence that their colleague has been enskinned.
