Nkonkonsa Celebrity Gossip From Africa
Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, the Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, has admitted that his perspective on MPs using sirens has shifted since assuming office. Once a vocal critic of the practice, A Plus now says firsthand experience has given him a new appreciation for the challenges MPs face.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM, the musician-turned-politician recounted a recent incident that changed his stance. He explained how juggling responsibilities in his constituency with parliamentary duties required urgent movement that was nearly impossible due to traffic.
“It is not an easy task at all. Today, for instance, I was with the President in my constituency. The Ahmadiyya Muslim community had their annual convention in Gomoa Pomadze, which is in my constituency. I had to be at the convention and in Parliament at the same time,” he shared.
He recalled having to call a dispatch rider to help him navigate traffic quickly. “I remember that before I entered Parliament, I was complaining about MPs and why they wanted sirens. But I had to call my friend, who is a dispatch rider, and ask for help to beat the traffic. That’s when I started to understand their point.”
A Plus highlighted how this realization extends to MPs with constituencies far from the capital, saying, “Can you imagine someone whose constituency is in, say, Paga, and you have to go there with the President and then come back to Parliament? It’s a tough job.”
As a first-time MP, A Plus emphasized the importance of bridging the gap between the public’s perception of Parliament and the realities of the job. “I think I am in a position to explain what happens in Parliament and what parliamentarians go through very well to the public,” he added.
A Plus was elected in 2024 as an independent candidate and has since been navigating the complexities of representing his constituents while addressing national legislative responsibilities.
This shift in his stance comes against the backdrop of the failed attempt by the previous Parliament to pass a law granting MPs and other government officials the legal right to use sirens. This law faced heavy public backlash at the time.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
