Mr. Franklin Cudjoe, founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, has asserted that the reshuffle in the Minority leadership in parliament will not be changed.

Mr. Cudjoe opined that, the national hierarchy of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) may apologise for the manner in which the announcement was done, but will not reverse the decision of making Hon Ato Forson and others the new leaders of the Minority caucus in parliament.

“I read the sense of settlement and the decision will stand. In actual fact, what is being called for, which is negotiations, discussions, conversations or consultations, will lead to one thing; Let’s just allow this to play out, we are sorry about the way it was done, it was not done properly and all that.

“But I do not see the decision being reversed. The conversation now is about massaging egos and ensuring that the right thing is done. I don’t see the decision reversed at all.”
Mr Cudjoe

The President of IMANI Africa revealed that, the outgoing Minority leadership should be proud of offering some training to some members of the caucus including the newly appointed leader, Cassiel Ato Forson.

According to him, “I have got to admit that change is not necessarily that bad. And in this specific instance, Haruna Iddrisu, Muntaka and Avedzi, should be proud that they have shepherded some members of their own caucus that could now take up the mantle, and then go forward with it.”

The CEO divulged that the arguments by Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the NDC, that the selection of Hon Ato Forson was based on his expertise in economic issues will not stand. He further argued that the outgoing minority leadership, led by Hon Haruna Iddrisu is equally good in that area as well.

“I am not entirely sure about the economic arguments advanced by the chairman of the party. Because I have seen the handiwork of Haruna, Afedzi and Muntaka and I think they are pretty well-vested in understanding economic issues, probably better at explaining the economic phenomena than my good friend Ato Forson himself.

“So I am not entirely sure about making those strong arguments about the economy. Let us leave it at that. I think the competencies of these new gentlemen are not in doubt.”
Mr. Cudjoe

According to Mr Franklin Cudjoe, the new minority leadership will stand on the shoulders of the outgoing leadership to push the party’s agenda.

The CEO of IMANI, to a greater extent urged the new minority leader to preach unity by bringing party members and his colleagues in the law making house together for a common goal of being a most likely alternative for Ghanaians in the 2024 election. “The party should be seen as united, and as a probable alternative, the party must be seen as one that belongs to all and not necessarily to a few,” he emphasized.

Internal Disagreement Healthy

Mr. Franklin Cudjoe described as healthy, the internal wrangling ongoing in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) following changes in its leadership in parliament.

There have been some disagreements amongst the Minority caucus after the party replaced Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.

Mr Cudjoe noted that, “From us, we think that disagreements within factions are healthy. How the disagreements are held or done is quite crucial, so we are towing in the middle line”.

“I also do know that the parties involved for lack of better words taken off their seats were quite in the know, that at one point or the other, this was going to come.”
Mr Cudjoe

Mr. Cudjoe entreated factions on both the outgoing and incoming minority leadership sides to cease fire as advised by the Council of Elders of the party. “I think this matter has to be put to bed by the leadership. The Council of Elders has just stepped in,” he admonished.

Some MPs signed a petition to reject the decision of the party over lack of consultation. Another set of MPs also petitioned the leadership of the NDC to ignore calls for the reshuffling to be reversed. However, the Council of Elders of the party on Saturday January 28, 2023, issued a statement and called on MPs and other party members to cease fire.