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The Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mr Vitus Azeem, has called on the President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, to remove the National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Kofi Portuphy, from office.

He has also called on the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and other “public-spirited” Ghanaians who wish to see the various principles enshrined in the constitution respected to take the matter up to the courts if the President fails to relieve Mr Portuphy of his position.

He told the Daily Graphic that Mr Portuphy’s continued holding of the position of National Co-ordinator of the disaster management body after being elected Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) offended the 1992 Constitution and smacked of conflict of interest.

Mr Azeem first raised the issue at a dialogue held by the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) in Accra after the launch of a report  on the effectiveness of Parliament in Ghana’s democracy.

He wondered why Parliament had not raised the issue in its deliberations on the floor of the House.

“Does Parliament’s oversight duties affect only the Executive?” he asked.

He also expressed surprise at the fact that NPP had not deemed it important to dwell on the issue.

Mr Portuphy was elected on December 21, 2014 as national chairman of the NDC.

After his election, however, he failed to resign his position as the national co-ordinator of NADMO.

In spite of numerous calls on him to give up the position, Mr Portuphy has remained at post.