Renowned Ghanaian economist Kwame Pianim has expressed his disapproval of the removal of Suame MP, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu from his role as Majority Leader in Parliament.
Pianim, a leading member of the NPP, believes that Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu should have been retained to manage Parliament and facilitate connections between MPs and other party groups in preparation for the 2024 elections.
In an interview on the AM Show, Pianim praised Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as an icon in Parliament, noting the challenges of managing the legislative body and ensuring that all bills are in line with the constitution.
“Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is an icon in Parliament. I think that managing Parliament is not easy. He has to make sure that all the bills that cabinet ministers and the president send are in line with the constitution.
“I am saddened. I think he should have been left there to manage Parliament and also lead the Parliamentary group to join forces with the presidential group of the party and then the party itself that is the chairman and his group and the leader of the party that is the flagbearer.”
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu officially stepped down as Majority Leader on Friday, February 23, after informing the Majority Caucus on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
Despite speculation of coercion, the former Majority Leader maintained that his decision to resign was voluntary.
“A lot of discussions have gone on in respect of the subject matter. Some of them are very informed, others unfortunately not informed…Mr Speaker, it was amidst the discussions that at a meeting of the caucus, which the President had requested, I tended my resignation as Majority Leader in order to still the storm and facilitate peace and unity required for my party at this time,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.
He added “Mr Speaker, that decision that I made was not within the presence of Parliament. This morning, I summoned the caucus meeting to formally announce to my colleagues that I’ve elected voluntarily to step down as a majority leader and by that leader of the house.”