<<Print>>Many have jumped to the defense of the Member of Parliament for Tema West Constituency, Kingsley Carlos Ahenkorah, for his callous indiscretion.
The latest to join in the defense of the former Deputy Trade and Industry Minister who toured voter registration centers fully aware he was COVID-19 positive was MP for Tema East, the Hon. Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover.
He wrote, “It is very very sad to hear some Tema West constituents calling for the withdrawal of Hon. Kingsley Carlos Kwabena Ahinkorah to resign as PC. This is one of the hard working, generous and compassionate MP.
My colleague had this virus from the very people he is serving. He gave it all to his constituents in the peak of the pandemic, food, Veronica buckets, sanitizers, money, detergents, and tissue papers and education to his constituents.
And if out of this he had developed this virus I expect those constituents clamoring for his resignation as PC to reconsider it.
This is the time his constituents should pray for him and his immediate family in these trying times.
He has shown remorse by apologizing to the H.E the President, his constituents and the people of Ghana. He went further to resign his position as a Deputy Minister of state. Let us all be guided and pray for the full recovery of our brother and colleague.”
Indeed, as members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) we will continue to pray for Hon. Carlos Ahinkorah but the fact that he failed to demonstrate leadership cannot be wished away.
However, for the Hon. Titus Glover to even remotely suggest that the Tema West MP was infected by his constituents during the peak of the pandemic is most abusive.
Did he have facts that suggest that the MP was infected by his constituents and if not he must render an unqualified apology for this insulting suggestion.
Hon. Titus Glover and many of those suggesting Carlos Ahinkorah was infected in the line of duty have missed the point by a mile.
No constituent of Tema West or any Ghanaian citizen, for that matter, has a problem with Carlos Ahinkorah because he tested positive for COVID-19.
That would have been discriminatory and deliberately stigmatizing against the MP for his condition.
The irresponsible act of a man who the constituents have just chosen to lead them into the 2020 parliamentary elections is the issue at stake.
As a man who claims to love his constituents so much that he provided them with various items to protect themselves against the virus, Carlos Ahinkorah intentionally endangered the lives of these very constituents by mingling with them while he knew he was COVID-19 positive and spreading it among the populace.
Clearly, he is not a leader, not to talk of being a considerate one, and must therefore be removed from that leadership position.
Indeed, the Tema West constituents sympathize with him and his family for his condition but when a person commits a crime, they must be made to do the time for the crime.
Lest we forget, the pastors who have been jailed for breaking the lockdown protocols were not positive and indeed did not willingly mingled with their congregants knowing full well they were carrying the virus.
If they could be given jail terms why should Carlos Ahinkorah suffer less?
Resigning his deputy ministerial position is accounting for the government for his recklessness but he must also answer for the people whose lives he put in danger with his antics.
The Tema West NPP must therefore withdraw his candidature and ensure he does not contest the December Parliamentary primaries on the ticket of the party.