Speaker declares Kumawu seat vacant

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has disclosed that parliament has officially written to the chairperson of the Electoral Commission about the demise of the Member of Parliament for Kumawu constituency in the Ashanti region.

This means the seat has been declared vacant pending a bye-election to be held by the EC in the constituency within 90 days.

The New Patriotic Party MP for Kumawu, Philip Atta Basoah died in the early hours of Tuesday, March 28 at age 53.

The deceased MP was one of the three absentee MPs last Friday during a critical vote to confirm ministerial appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to Solomon Basoah, brother of the late Kumawu Member of Parliament, the deceased was found unconscious in his room on March 24 and was rushed to the hospital where he passed four days later.

Speaking on the floor of the House, the Speaker said “… we formally communicated to the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of this unfortunate demise of our colleague which has led to the occurrence of a vacancy in the House.”

The official communication was sent to the EC on March 31 by the clerk of parliament in accordance to Section 3 of the republic of Ghana Amendment Act 1996 ACT 52.