Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader in Parliament, called the recent National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries regrettable for the loss of 17 members of parliament.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu thinks that losing MPs with experience is disappointing, since it is necessary to have a strong parliament.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor, a former Power Minister and MP for Pru East, Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini, MP for Sagnarigu, Mrs. Della Sowah, Kpando, Edward Bawa, Bongo, and Wisdom Gidisu, MP for Krachi East are some of the MPs who failed to gain their return to parliament.
The others are Albert Alasoka, Alex Adomako, representing Sekyere Afram Plains, Kobena Mensah Woyome; South Tongu, Angela Alorwu-Tay; Afadzato South, and Abeiku Crentsil of Ekumfi.
Sampson Chiragia of Navrongo Central, Augustine Tawiah of Bia West, Kwakye Ackah of Amenfi Central, Thomas Adda Dalu of Chiana-Paga, and Sophia Ackuaku of Domeabra-Obom, who switched to compete in Ayawaso Central, make up the remainder.
The Suame MP in his remarks, encouraged the NDC and NPP to revise their party constitutions to prevent such occurrences.
“Mr Speaker, in the course of the recess, the NDC had their presidential and parliamentary primaries. My sincere wish was that all of them should have emerged triumphant. Because I believe that building a stronger parliament and indeed stronger parliament in Ghana is necessarily predicated on experience.
“Unfortunately, 17 of our colleagues, we are told lost, quite unfortunate, there are some of them that we can attest to the fact they are very experienced and mature people who add value to the deliberation of the House and that we have lost them is regrettable.”
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
Change In Minority Leadership Caused Defeat Of 17 Mps During NDC Primaries
Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the member of parliament for Asawase in the Ashanti Region, criticized the NDC leadership over the changes in minority leadership in Parliament.
The former Minority Chief Whip, who called the move a coup in his initial comments on the minority leadership changes, asserted that the party’s 17 incumbent MPs who lost their bids to represent the party in the 2024 elections might have been prevented had the outgoing leaders still been in charge.
Muntaka asserted that the minority caucus in the upcoming Parliament might suffer, as a result of the loss of experience in the just concluded parliamentary elections.
“The truth is that in 2020, because the NPP had bridged camp, there was a lot of vigour, there was a lot of energy, naturally when you are going for primaries, NPP should be interested in some constituencies creating confusion so that they can have the chance to split your votes and take the constituency and there are examples like Akontombra and many others”
“Now in 2023 NPP is struggling to find its feet, they are struggling to stay above waters, and then you go and lose 17 MPs. Who do you blame, it will be very unfair if you blame the current [Minority] leadership because the primaries were announced before the coup that happened in Parliament, [and that was] very unstrategic.”
Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak
He claimed that the timing of the leadership changeover was terribly inappropriate because the previous leadership might have developed a stronger plan to save more seasoned MPs.
As part of efforts to unify the party before the 2024 elections, the Asawase MP also urged the NDC’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, to meet with the MPs in smaller groups and encourage them to do their best for the success of the party. He continued by saying that numerous MPs had grown resentful of the party, as a result of internal intrigue.
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