Kennedy Agyapong[/caption] The outspoken Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has apologised to Parliament for denigrating the august institution. He admitted that he was “furious” when he referred to the house as “cheap”, which he was, therefore, willing to unreservedly apologise. The maverick politician on Monday appeared before the Privileges Committee of Parliament to answer questions on claims that he insulted Parliament. The Member of Parliament for Odododiodio Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye had enquired from him if he felt it was appropriate to refer to the legislature as cheap. “I don’t have a problem if Parliament feels offended, I apologise. I was furious, I am not a tin god,” Kennedy Agyapong conceded. However, in a brief but hot exchanges with the committee, the MP for Assin Central vehemently denied calling the Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu useless, though he claimed he had apologised to him based on what he called wrong media reportage. Explaining what led to his outburst, he said a regional chairman of his own party, New Patriotic Party, got to his nerve and who dared him to relocate to Togo if he can’t live with investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in Ghana. The party chairman, he said, further infuriated him by saying he doesn’t deserve to be a Member of Parliament. Kennedy Agyapong claimed the said chairman of his party has since apologised to him. He claimed while in his element, he dragged the Majority Leader into the fray for defending Anas whom he had vowed to expose. He was reported to have called parliament useless for making Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu the Majority Leader. The MP for Asawase and Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak reported his conduct to the house as contemptuous. The Assin Central MP was subsequently referred to the Privileges Committee. The Committee examined the evidence and established a prima facie case against Kennedy Agyapong. The Committee after examining the evidence said the controversial MP breached Article 112 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 31(2) of Parliament’s Standing Orders as well as clause 4(9) of Code of Conduct of members of parliament. When he first appeared before the Committee, sitting was adjourned when three members of the committee recused themselves. Read:Parliament: Three MPs who recused themselves in Ken Agyapong’s contempt case replaced But when he appeared before the Committee on July 23, he said he only said that “Parliament ayefu” in Twi, which is literally translated as “Parliament is cheap” on his own media platforms NET2 TV and Oman FM. He reportedly made the same comments on Adom FM. “I don’t mind retracting that word; I never said Parliament is useless but I said Parliament ayefu,” he recalled. He was cocksure the media misreported him, insisting that “you can kill me today, but I will never admit [I said Parliament is] useless”. When the video evidence was replayed to him which appeared to be a slight departure from his claims he never insulted Parliament as a useless institution, he insisted that the authenticity of the tape was in doubt. He therefore pleaded with the Committee and Parliament in general to be mindful of what they accept as evidence, especially when it was generated from social media platforms. “Next time we have to verify information, if you rely on radio station and network… some are diabolic”, he said. The Chairman of the Committee, Joseph Osei Wusu suspended sitting and said the committee’s report would be communicated to him later, but the respondent would be invited again when necessary. By Isaac Essel | 3news.com | Ghana]]>
