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Tag: Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

  • Cecilia Dapaah saga: Majority leader defends keeping money in homes

    Cecilia Dapaah saga: Majority leader defends keeping money in homes

    The majority leader, who is the Member of Parliament for Suame, added that even though it might be ethically wrong for a minister to be keeping such an amount of money in her home, the laws of the country do not stop people from keeping money in their homes.

    Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu emphasised the importance of hearing the former minister’s perspective before passing any judgment.

    “In Ghana now we are quick to condemn people as soon as their issues come up. We don’t listen to their side of the story. Doing this is not good for our governance process. We have to hear our sister’s side of the story before we make any judgment.

    “There are some questions that have not been answered including whether she legitimately acquired the money; where the minister got the money from, and whether she has paid the required taxes.

    “She has not violated any law of the country by not keeping the money in the bank if it is hers… there are no laws like that. But the government is working to create a cashless system so if a minister is keeping such an amount of money in her home, it would be like a pastor not living the gospel s/he preaches,” he said in Twi in a Neat FM interview.

    Meanwhile, the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources has been arrested by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

    This was contained in a statement from the Office of the Special Prosecutor dated July 24, 2023.

    This arrest comes in the wake of suspicions of corruption and corruption-related offences, revolving around the alleged theft of significant amounts of money and valuable items from her residence in Accra.

    Dapaah’s resignation from her ministerial post, which occurred on July 22, 2023, set off a series of investigations into the reported theft that had caused shock and concern among the public.

    Two of her house helps, Patience Botwe (18) and Sarah Agyei (30), were previously charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing, following the alleged incidents between July and October 2022.

    During this period, items including assorted clothes worth GHC95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewellery valued at $95,000 were said to have been stolen from the former Minister’s residence in the Abelemkpe area of Accra. Patience Botwe was also accused of stealing six sets of kente cloth worth GHC90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at $3,000, which belonged to Dapaah’s husband. Furthermore, three other individuals, including Botwe’s current and former boyfriends and her father, are also facing charges for allegedly being involved in dishonestly receiving GHC1 million, GHC180,000, and GHC50,000, respectively.

    The arrest by the Office of the Special Prosecutor indicates the gravity of the situation and the determination of authorities to investigate the alleged corruption thoroughly.

    As of now, the OSP indicated Cecilia Dapaah is undergoing questioning by authorized officers of the OSP to ascertain the facts surrounding the case.

  • Govt likely to pick one of these 3 to replace Cecilia Dapaah

    Govt likely to pick one of these 3 to replace Cecilia Dapaah

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has accepted the resignation of Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Sanitation and Water Resources Minister.

    However, unlike previous conventions, he has not immediately named a replacement in an acting capacity. Instead, the Chief Director will temporarily lead the ministry until an official announcement is made.

    Sources within the corridors of power, according to Ghanaweb suggest that the president is seeking a candidate who can seamlessly fit into the vacant position and avoid parliamentary vetting, which is possible by appointing a serving minister to the role.

    Possible replacements for the position include:

    1. Francis Asenso-Boakye, the current Minister of Works and Housing, who might take on the role, potentially leading to the merger of the two portfolios or acting as a temporary replacement.
    2. Freda Prempeh, who previously served as a deputy minister when the ministry was under Works and Housing and is currently working at the Ministry of Works and Housing, is also highly tipped for consideration.
    3. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the MP for Suame and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, is seen as another potential replacement. He has previously acted in a ministerial role at the finance ministry. However, if he is moved, the NPP will have to make adjustments to its leadership in Parliament as he currently serves as the Majority Leader.

    Other names circulating as potential acting ministers include Dan Botwe, Samuel Jinapor, and Henry Quartey, with the first two having recent experience in acting ministerial capacities. Only time will reveal the final decision made by President Akufo-Addo in appointing the new Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources.

  • Your continuous absence means our decisions will always prevail – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu warns Minority

    Your continuous absence means our decisions will always prevail – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu warns Minority

    Majority leader in parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has asserted that if the Minority persists in their decision to boycott parliamentary proceedings, his caucus will make certain that crucial decisions are made in their absence.

    Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who represents the Suame Constituency in Parliament, further mentioned that with the Majority consisting of 138 members and the Minority consisting of 137 members, reaching conclusions on matters and issues without the support of the Minority would be a straightforward task.

    In an interview with a reporter from Onua TV on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, the MP emphasized his intention to communicate and collaborate with the leadership of the Minority in Parliament, regardless of the prevailing circumstances.

    “I intend to engage my colleague and compatriot, the Minority leader but if they insist that they wouldn’t attend to the business of parliament, what else can we do? We only then have to mobilise your numbers to attend to the business of the House.

    “We can take decisions in their absence. If we have 138, we can any decision. Even the budget which they said they had rejected; we were 138 and took a decision,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.

    The Minority in Parliament has taken a firm stance to abstain from participating in parliamentary business on days when Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, is scheduled to appear in court for an ongoing criminal case.

    The decision to abstain from parliamentary proceedings on court days is a clear statement of support for Quayson and a demonstration against what the Minority considers unjust treatment.

    Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has, however, reaffirmed that his caucus will persist in boycotting parliamentary proceedings despite pleas from several NPP MPs.

    He stated, “We stand firm in our decision to boycott parliament during the trial of Gyakye Quayson.”

  • Savor Gyakye Quayson’s triumph for the time being – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu to NDC

    Savor Gyakye Quayson’s triumph for the time being – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu to NDC

    Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Major Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has cautioned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) not to excessively rejoice over the success of James Gyakye Quayson, their elected representative for Assin North.

    During his address in parliament on Tuesday, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who represents Suame in Parliament, expressed the belief that the jubilation of the NDC would be of brief duration, according to their party’s perspective.

    He suggested that the fate of Quayson is now in the hands of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame.

    “NDC wants to believe that this is a peak victory that would hurt the bride of the NPP… we the parliamentary group of the NPP believe that this is a momentary victory of phantasmal character that certainly may not last.

    “But Mr Speaker that is the choice of the people Assin North and everybody must respect that whiles it last. The rest of it is in the hands of the attorney general.

    “While he remains here, we can only embrace him as a Member of Parliament… whiles it last,” he said.

    James Gyakye Quayson won the Assin North by-election on June 27, 2023, after the seat was declared vacant due to his removal from parliament.

    The Supreme Court of Ghana, on May 17, 2023, ordered the Parliament of Ghana to expunge the name of James Gyakye Quayson as a Member of Parliament (MP).

    But there is still one case the former MP has to face in court after the Office of the Attorney General accused him of deceiving public officers to acquire state documents.

    On February 12, 2022, the State charged James Gyakye Quayson with five counts; deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.

    Many notable Ghanaians across the political divide have called on the attorney general to drop the case against but he has described the calls as interference in justice delivery.

  • We embrace you as an MP while you remain here – Majority to Gyakye Quayson

    We embrace you as an MP while you remain here – Majority to Gyakye Quayson

    The re-elected MP for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, on Tuesday, July 4, received congratulations from the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu following his swearing-in ceremony presided by Speaker Alban Bagbin.

    Despite acknowledging that Mr. Quayson’s victory in the Assin North by-election is a significant win that may dent the pride of the NPP, he reassured that the party would respect and accept the decision made by the electorate of Assin North.

    “Indeed, we must congratulate him. That is the choice made by the people of Assin North, and we must, everybody must respect that while it lasts,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated while addressing parliament on Tuesday, July 4 after Mr Quayson was sworn-in.

    Despite offering congratulations to his colleague, the Majority Leader issued a cautionary message to Mr. Quayson, highlighting the temporary nature of his tenure as an MP.

    Implicitly referring to the upcoming legal proceedings against the incumbent MP, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu emphasized that Mr. Quayson’s position in the House currently hinges on the decision of the Attorney-General.

    “Mr Speaker, the rest of it, as we move from here, is in the hands of the Attorney-General,” the legislator stressed.

    He also maintained that the chances of Mr Quayson staying in office for long were very low.

    Moreover, the Majority Leader added that, “the parliamentary group of the NPP also believes that this is a momentary victory of phantasmal character that certainly will not last.

    Despite Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s warning, he said that the Majority Caucus is ready to welcome Mr Quayson into parliament.

    The Majority Leader told the House that “While he [Gyakye Quayson] remains here, we can only embrace him as a Member of Parliament, and we welcome him here to be part of the fraternity while it lasts.”

    Meanwhile, the NPP has since congratulated Mr Quayson for his victory in the Assin North by-election.

    According to the party, the NDC’s victory in the by-election adds to Ghana’s democratic credentials.

    “Indeed, the recent two by-elections have demonstrated the strength of the country’s democracy with outcomes favouring different political parties. This is a testament to Ghana’s much touted accolade as a bastion.”

    Background

    On Tuesday, July 4, James Gyakye Quayson was officially sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Assin North, following his victory in the by-election held on Tuesday, June 27.

    His win comes after the Supreme Court ruling on May 17, which declared his previous election invalid and barred him from holding the position. However, he successfully regained his seat in the by-election and now assumes his role as the representative of Assin North.

    His primary opponent, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party, secured second place with 12,630 votes or 42.15% of the valid votes. Meanwhile, Bernice Enam Sefanu of the Liberal Party of Ghana received only 87 votes or 0.29%.

    The voter turnout was reported to be high at 74.23%, according to officials from the Electoral Commission.

    Mr. Quayson is currently facing charges of forgery and perjury, as filed by the Attorney-General’s Office. He is accused of deceiving a public officer and making a false declaration by not renouncing his Canadian citizenship when filing nominations for the 2020 election.

    However, Mr. Quayson has filed a motion on notice at the High Court, requesting a stay of proceedings until an appeal can be determined. The applicant seeks an order to suspend the ongoing court proceedings while awaiting the outcome of the appeal filed on June 27, 2023.

  • Parliament expected to discuss anti-LGBTQ+ law this week

    Parliament expected to discuss anti-LGBTQ+ law this week

    Parliament is expected to deliberate on the Ghanaian Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-LGBT bill, this week.

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, had instructed the House to conduct the second reading of the bill last week, but the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee was not present.

    The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, made this clear last Friday, June 30, 2023.

    The bill aims to outlaw LGBTQ+ and its associated acts, as well as any propaganda, advocacy, or promotion of LGBT and related activities.

    It also aims to protect and support children, as well as anyone who has been wrongly accused or victimized as a result of LGBTQ+ or related activities.

    On June 27, when the MPs were supposed to discuss the topic, the House was vacant because the bulk of MPs from both political parties were in Assin North for the by-election.

    “We had it last week, but we couldn’t make any progress because the chairman and the ranking member had travelled out. We hope that we will make some progress within this week when the Speaker and the ranking member come. We will put our heads together and locate the bill,” Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu said.

  • Parliament to discuss anti-LGBTQ+ bill this week

    Parliament to discuss anti-LGBTQ+ bill this week

    This week, the anti-LGBT measure, also called the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill, is expected to be discussed in parliament.

    Last Friday, the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, made it clear that the absence of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee prevented the House from conducting the second reading of the bill as ordered by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, last week.

    The bill aims to outlaw LGBTQ+ and associated acts, as well as any propaganda, advocacy, or promotion of LGBT and related activities. It also aims to protect and support children, as well as anyone who have been wrongly accused or victimized by LGBT or related activities.

    On June 27, when the MPs were supposed to debate the issue, the House was empty because the majority of MPs from both the majority and minority parties were in Assin.

  • Parliament fails to undertake second reading of Anti-LGBT bill

    Parliament fails to undertake second reading of Anti-LGBT bill

    Parliament was unable to conduct the second reading of the anti-LGBT bill this week owing to the absence of the chairman and ranking member of the constitutional, legal, and parliamentary affairs committee, according to the majority leader in parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.

    Both the committee’s chairman, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, and its ranking member, Bernard Ahiafor, could not be present for the bill’s presentation.

    Although the motion appeared on the order paper on Thursday and Friday, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, last week asked the Business Committee to table the Anti-Gay bill this week for a debate. However, the House was unable to comply.Proponent of the bill, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzra demanded answers for the delay of work on the bill.“The Bill that was advertised yesterday and today has not found its way to the Business Statement.

    The Motion by the eight private members on the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian family Values, has been advertised yesterday and today but unfortunately, it has not found space.”“It has been advertised for two days and nothing has appeared on the Business Statement, so I want to find out from the Business Committee what they are doing about it.”

  • Only dictators have been born out of 1992 constitution – Muntaka

    Only dictators have been born out of 1992 constitution – Muntaka

    The Member of Parliament for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, has stated that the 1992 constitution of the country is designed in a way that facilitates the election of a president with dictatorial tendencies.

    The lawmaker contends that the constitution offers the President too much power in the discharge of his duties.

    “I have always said with the greatest respect that the 1992 Constitution only helps us to elect a dictator because if you look at the Constitution, all it does is create a monster president who is a superhuman and does almost everything and a lot of checks have to be corrected in the current constitution.

    His comment comes on the back of a concern raised by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu about the delegation of the Vice President as the Acting President in the absence of the President.

    In his reaction, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka called for the implementation of the recommendations by the Constitutional Amendment Commission to address such concerns.

    “I keep asking what is preventing us from implementing the recommendations of the Constitutional Amendment Commission because since 2013, we have virtually iced it yet a lot of work has been done and it is just left with the implementation and we have left it hanging. Are we anticipating another amendment because the work the Committee did is very extensive?”

    The NDC lawmaker further bemoaned the lack of checks and balances in the country’s democratic practice.

    “We all know that in a presidential system, checks and balances must exist but that is a system that has been very difficult for us to do for the past 30 years.”

  • Parliament pledges to pass Intestate Succession Bill

    Parliament pledges to pass Intestate Succession Bill

    The Intestate Succession Bill will be passed, according to the leadership of Parliament, before the House adjourns on August 3, 2023.

    The leadership expressed regret that efforts by previous governments to pass the bill have been unsuccessful over the years.

    The bill seeks to make changes to the current system, which would offer even greater protection to children when a parent dies without a will.

    Speaking at a media briefing by the leadership of Parliament, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, expressed optimism about the passage of the bill at the second meeting of the third session.

    “It has been with this house for close to 10 years, since former President J.A. Kuffuor’s time. It came on two occasions, it came to be withdrawn. Eventually, it didn’t come before the elections. Late President J. A. Mills took over and indicated to bring the Bill back. It came to Parliament and got withdrawn for some considerations. Former President John Mahama’s attention was drawn to it, and he indicated that he will present it to Parliament, and it didn’t suffice. In President Akufo-Addo’s regime, it came once, and it went off the radar.

    “Now a decision has been taken that the Interstate Secession Bill should come to parliament for consideration for some approval. There are major stumbling blocks, which relate to how to handle the property of a deceased person who transitions an intestate,” he said.

    He added that they are working on a formula for how the property of a deceased person will be shared among their family.

    “We are working on some formula whether 50% should go to the surviving spouse plus children of about 75%. And what will go to surviving parents, we are considering not higher than 10% or 5%. And also look at the affairs of some stray bullets and so all, so all these should be put in our basket for our consideration. There were some back and forward movements. It should be possible to pass the Intestate Secession law,” he stated.

  • Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu rebukes Ato Forson in Parliament

    Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu rebukes Ato Forson in Parliament

    Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has cautioned his opposite number, Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson, to tread cautiously.

    Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had cause to chastize Ato Forson on the floor of the House on June 6, 2023 when MPs returned to work when the Minority Leader made a submisssion on election violence in the wake of upcoming Assin North by-election.

    “As a country, we are yet to overcome the blot in our democratic governance arising from the unprecedented violence meted out to innocent civilians by the party packs in uniform at Awayso West Wuogon.

    “That is why we wish and say that the chairperson of the EC must demonstrate her neutrality as an unbiased umpire, and the IGP must prove that he is indeed responsible for the domestic security of the country,” Ato Forson said in his welcome address.

    The comments did not sit well with the Majority Leader who pointed out that the reference to Ayawaso West Wuogon was at best needless because more violence was unleashed in Chereponi by-election which inured to the benefit of the then ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    He said Ato Forson’s reference was also needless because the most recent by-election in Kumawu was peaceful.

    “One hopes that the Assin North by-election will follow that (Kumawu) trajectory. But for my colleague to say that we should not let what Awayawso West Wuogon happen again in the next by-election to me I think is not a statement that ought to have been made.

    “If you are talking about the most violent by-election that we have had in this country, it was at Chereponi when seven people were shot at point blank by an operative from the castle,” he noted.

    On the point about electoral violence during by-elections, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu fired a caution: “don’t go there. You are a newly baptised minority leader, you have not been confirmed yet as minority leader.”

    The Supreme Court of Ghana recently issued a ruling that declared James Gyakye Quayson’s election as a Member of Parliament in 2020 as unconstitutional, null, and void.

    According to the Supreme Court, Gyakye Quayson held Canadian citizenship at the time of filing his nomination as the NDC’s parliamentary candidate in 2020.

    The court’s ruling led the Clerk of Parliament to declare the Assin North seat vacant.

    Subsequently, the Electoral Commission has scheduled a by-election in Assin North for June 27, 2023, following the declaration by the Clerk.

    Meanwhile, the NDC has stated its intention to re-present Gyakye Quayson as its candidate for the upcoming election, despite a criminal process brought against him in relation to his 2020 election contest.

  • Is raining insults a hallmark of a leader – Majority leader quizzes Agyarko over ‘bloody fool’ comment

    Is raining insults a hallmark of a leader – Majority leader quizzes Agyarko over ‘bloody fool’ comment

    Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu has cast aspersions on the integrity of NPP flagbearer hopeful, Mr. Boakye Agyarko over some unsavoury comments made by the latter.

    This stems from comments made by the two two years ago over who to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general elections.

    The Majority leader on the matter advised that it would be beneficial for their party not to choose an Akan as flagbearer.

    “Inwardly, I know I have the competence to lead the party but it is wise that after two Akans – former President Kufuor and current President Akufo-Addo to present a flagbearer candidate with different ethnicity. I think it is not good for a party that has been accused by some of being overly Akanistic in nature. But not everybody would agree with me and that is the beauty of democracy”, he said.

    In response, Mr Boakye Agyarko, a former Energy Minister, said he was disappointed with Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu since he was bringing “noise into the party”.

    “I am totally disappointed with the Majority leader. Are you the one going to bring this noise into the party? I use to remember conversations I used to have with him, whiles I was based in the USA, on the phone all the time. You let some of our children ‘some bloody fool bring such noise into the party,” Mr Boakye Agyarko said.

    Two years later in a rebuttal while speaking on Angel FM Kumasi, the Majority leader suggested that the unsavory words used by Mr Agyarko do not make him fit to be a leader.

    “You insult by telling the Majority Leader what he is saying is bloody fool talk. Is that the hallmark of a leader?” Hon Osei-Kyei-Mensah is quoted by GhNews to have quizzed.

    “Boakye Agyarko sat on Oman FM and described what I said as bloody fool talk. I said I didn’t want it, but the same Boakye Agyarko says he wants to lead the party so we should vote for him. Is he telling us what he is doing is not engaged in bloody fool talk? Is it, not idiotic talk for him to say we should vote for him?” Hon Osei-Kyei-Mensah further stated.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • I said reviving Komenda Sugar factory was a waste but no one understood me – Majority leader

    I said reviving Komenda Sugar factory was a waste but no one understood me – Majority leader

    The majority leader and minister of parliamentary affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has provided an explanation for why previous administrations have been unable to put the Komenda Sugar Factory into action.

    According to him, the main challenge of making the Komenda Sugar Factory work is that there are no longer arable lands in the Komenda area to produce the sugarcane needed to feed the factory because of human settlement and the devastation done to water bodies in the area by the activities of illegal small-scale miners (galamseyers).

    He explained that because the main source of water in the area, the River Pra, has been polluted by galamsey activities, the water from it has to be first purified before it can be used to cultivate the sugarcane needed for the factory, which comes at a very huge cost.

    Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who made these remarks in an Oyerepa TV interview, said that he warned that it would be impossible to revive the factory during the era of the late former President John Evans Atta Mills, but he was ignored.

    “During the era of President Mills, I raised an issue about the feasibility of the Komenda Sugar Factory in parliament, but some people did not understand me because they had a sentimental attachment to the revival of the factory due to it being established by Kwame Nkrumah.

    “I said reviving the factory will not work and that we should look for an alternative in order not to waste our money, but people did not understand,” he said in Twi.

    Background

    Though the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama administration recommissioned the factory on May 30, 2016, in a bid to get it functioning once again and offer employment for the youth, the move hit a snag as the Akufo-Addo-led government took office shortly thereafter in 2017.

    The Komenda Sugar Factory was expected to create some 7,300 direct and indirect jobs at full operational capacity. The factory is said to be able to crush 1,250 metric tons of sugar cane daily.

    The sugar-producing factory was first established in 1964 by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah but became defunct over the years due to technical difficulties and setbacks.

    The birth of the factory was based on the premise of producing sugar locally to reduce importation and for commercial purposes.

  • Claims Akufo-Addo has bloated number of SC judges false – Majority Leader

    Claims Akufo-Addo has bloated number of SC judges false – Majority Leader

    The Majority leader cum Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has refuted claims that the Akufo-Addo led administration has bloated the number of Justices at the Supreme Court.

    Setting the record straight, he said what the President has done is to replace potential Justices of the court who are due for retirement soon.

    Responding to questions posed by the host of Kumasi-based Ashh Fm, Oderfour Quasi Kay, on Thursday April 13, 2023, the leader of Government Business linked the president’s nominations to the Supreme Court to that of effective delivery of justice rather than political expediency as speculated by the opposition NDC.

    He mentioned names such as the Chief Justice, H.L Justice Annin Yeboah, H.L Justice Dotse, and some other Justices of the Apex Court who are due for retirement in few months from now.

    He emphasized that, for effective and efficient administration of justice, and to ensure continuity of cases, the president could not have waited until the final exit of those due before he could nominate others to replace them.

    The leader of Government Business, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, took time to engage the grassroots on what had pertained during the last session of Parliament.

    Political pundits, and the grassroots would attest to this undeniable fact that Ghanaians would grossly miss the astute legislator when he finally bows out of Parliament for his constant interactions with the grassroots which keeps them informed at all times.

    Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has, over the years, made conscious effort to engage the grassroots and to educate them on the happenings in Parliament with the slightest of opportunities available for him to do so without hesitation.

    This is in spite of his busy schedules as the Majority Leader, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Leader of Government Business and the Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, amongst others.

    He concluded by extending his heartfelt condolences to the families of the two departed souls of the Members of Parliament who have joined their ancestors in Eternity.

  • Majority Leader questions NDC over Ghana card

    Majority Leader questions NDC over Ghana card

    Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has raised concerns as to why the minority in parliament is shying away from the use of the Ghana Card when former president John Mahama endorsed it after acquiring one in his home town.

    According to the majority leader, John Mahama said he believed in the Ghana card system as it has integrity and can be relied on.

    He, therefore, described the Minority opposing to the use of Ghana as the sole documentation for registration as something beyond understanding.

    “…after the issuance of the Ghana card to former president John Dramani Mahama, he said today he has seen and he believes that this system has integrity and can be relied on, now you people (NDC) are shying away from it and they are saying that we can’t use it. It is beyond comprehension,” Kyei Mensah Bomsu said.

    The Minority in Parliament rejected the justifications given by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) for the new CI seeking to make Ghana card the only identification for voter registration.

    Chairperson for the EC, Jean Mensah on Tuesday February 28 2023 told Parliament the new CI is to safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process devoid of foreign interference.

    Mrs. Jean Mensah also justified the scrapping of the guarantor system. When questioned about the existence of the same system for Ghana card registration, the EC boss argued that, that system is more robust.

    Addressing the media, Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson asked the EC to adopt the NIA system following the claim of the chairperson.

    “We are quite sure many of you followed and reported on events in the Chamber last night, which showcased our opposition to an attempt by the Jean Mensah-led Electoral Commission to introduce a Constitutional Instrument before Parliament.

    The said C.I, the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Instrument, 2022, seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole document for the registration of voters onto Ghana’s electoral roll.

    “What Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution requires, is evidence of citizenship and not evidence or proof of identification. Any evidence of citizenship should therefore qualify a person to be registered. That is why under the current C.I 91 as amended by C.I 126, Ghanaian Passports and guarantor system are allowed as evidence of citizenship,” Mr. Forson stated.

  • Ghana’s voting system will be sanitized by EC’s new CI – Majority

    Ghana’s voting system will be sanitized by EC’s new CI – Majority

    The new Constitutional Instrument (CI) proposed by the Electoral Commission (EC) won’t deprive Ghanaians of their right to vote in the general elections of 2024, according to the majority in parliament.

    The EC with its new C.I is seeking to use the Ghana Card as the source document for registration onto the voters register.

    Addressing the media, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that the new policy aims at sanitising the electoral process.

    “This is a system that has come to sanitise and purify our system. There are various institutions which recognise the integrity of the National Identification Authority and indeed the Ghana Cards and have resorted to the use of the Ghana Cards,” he said.

    The EC is proposing a new constitutional instrument through which it intends to make the Ghana card the sole identification document for voter registration.

    The Minority, which is rejecting this move by the EC, is also casting doubts on the capacity of the NIA to issue Ghana cards to all applicants who have registered for the cards.

  • There are legal violations in Ghana – Asah Asante

    There are legal violations in Ghana – Asah Asante

    According to Dr. Kwame Asah Asante, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana‘s (UG) Political Science Department, there are violations of the law in the nation.

    The launch of the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Parliamentary Democracy by Parliament precedes this.

    Minority leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson urged legislators to be aware of the damaging impressions their acts leave on the minds of the public while speaking on the House floor.

    According to him, military interventions are not in the interest of national progress and thus conscious efforts should be made to keep them out of the governance process.

    Majority leader and minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on his part called for a new constitutional order.

    The Suame MP demanded some changes to the constitution to respond to current realities.

    Commenting on the anniversary on Starr FM, Mr. Asante stated Ghana has done marvelously well with rule of law ever since the introduction of democracy.

    But he however pointed out that there are infractions with the laws governing the nation.

    “The law is working but I must also admit that there are infractions that we have experienced over the years and continue to experience. But that doesn’t undermine what we have done in terms of rule of law. Generally speaking, rule of law is working but we know there are problems related to that. Evidence of that can be seen at USA department human right report captures some of these things,” he explained.

    He also lauded Ghana’s electoral development since attaining democracy.

    According to Mr. Asante, government has attained several achievements ever since the nation stated democracy with infrastructure development, law enforcement and other aspects of the economy.

    “When you talk about democracy, any meaningful democracy we are talking about free and fair elections. And we have seen over the years how far we have come. Apart from the 1992 election which was marred with controversies. Subsequent elections have proved to be free and fair and that is a feather in our cap. We have done well by improving the democratic credentials through our electoral system. Electoral processes moving from opaque ballot box to transparent ballot box. To all the things we can talk about including the devices we use in elections. So far so good in that direction,” Mr. Asante stated.

    He added, “That is not to say everything is 100 percent correct, we have seen incidents of rigging, very little can be said about that. Incident of vote buying and the rest of them. But the good news is that this country has taken the trouble to meet this thing. And I will give credit to civil service societies, individuals, groups and the state itself. The conscious effort to rig the political system of these evils that try to reveal their ugly heads in the political system.”

  • Scores of Duffour’s fans troop to NDC Headquarters as he picks nominations form

    Scores of Duffour’s fans troop to NDC Headquarters as he picks nominations form

    Scores of National Democratic Congress enthusiasts trooped to the premises of the party headquarters to join their preferred flagbearer candidate, Dr Kwabena Duffour, as he picked up his nomination forms.

    Dr. Kwabena Duffour, a former Governor of the Bank of Ghana who has indicated his intentions to contest for the flagbearership position of the party picked up his nomination forms on Thursday, February 23, 2023.

    Scores of individuals believed to be in the camp of Dr. Duffour, thronged the NDC headquarters, singing and cheering for him.

    Dressed in party colours, with various party paraphernalia and wielding placards with posters of Dr. Duffour, these enthusiasts threw their support behind Dr. Duffour, while one of the party’s theme songs played in the background.

    Dr. Duffour however did not pick up the forms personally, he designated the Ashanti Regional Women’s Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Gloria Huze, and his spokesperson who represented him.

    This comes after representatives of Former President, John Dramani Mahama, Former Kumasi Mayor, Kojo Bonsu, and Businessman, Ernest Kwaku Korbeah all picked up their nomination forms on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

    The forms pegged at 30,000 Ghana Cedis will be filled and returned to the party’s Elections Committee. Candidates will then be vetted and when approval is given, they can then begin campaign. This was reiterated by Chairman of the Elections Committee, Kakra Essamuah.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Ghana needs a new constitution – Majority Leader

    Ghana needs a new constitution – Majority Leader

    Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, is advocating for a new Constitution that will cap the number of Ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs).

    According to him, the time is ripe for amendments to be made to the supreme laws of the country in order for them to reflect the ever-changing needs of the contemporary world.

    Speaking at a ceremony to mark 30 years of Parliamentary Democracy in Ghana, the Suame legislator said Ghana needs a new constitution that caps the number of ministers, caps the number of seats in Parliament and also makes the Speaker of Parliament an MP.

    “The 1992 constitution has no doubt served some good in the last three decades, I must, however, admit that some assumptions underpinning some reformations no longer hold or are not supported by current social-political realities.

    “This underlines the calls by various stakeholders for the review of the 1992 Constitution. It is time to re-engineer our constitutional architecture to conform to today’s realities.

    “We need a constitutional order that frowns on a winner-takes-all syndrome and promotes collaboration, collectiveness and consensus building,” he said on Wednesday.

    “We need a constitutional order that would mitigate the winner takes all attitude and prevent the do-or-die combat associated with our elections. We need a new constitutional order that would prevent the constant increase in the number of seats in Parliament.”

    “We need a new constitutional order that would put a cap in the number of ministers of state. We need a new constitutional order that would ensure that the Speaker of Parliament is a serving member of Parliament.”

    The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, asked both sides of the House to collaborate and work in unison for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Ghana needs a constitution with ministerial limit – Kyei-Mensah

    Ghana needs a constitution with ministerial limit – Kyei-Mensah

    The leader of the majority party in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has asked for a new constitutional provision that would impose a limit on the number of ministers that the President may designate.

    His call follows demands by the Minority caucus in Parliament for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his government in the wake of the economic challenges.

    Speaking at the launch of the 30 years of parliamentary democracy, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu outlined a series of benefits to be achieved with the consideration of constitutional reform.

    “We need a constitutional order that would mitigate the winner takes all attitude and prevent the do-or-die combat associated with our elections. We need a new constitutional order that would prevent the constant increase in the number of seats in Parliament.”

    “We need a new constitutional order that would put a cap in the number of ministers of state. We need a new constitutional order that would ensure that the Speaker of Parliament is a serving member of Parliament,” the Suame MP said.

    The Dean of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Prof. Vladimir Antwi-Danso has also called for an entirely new constitution contrary to calls for the 1992 constitution to be amended.

    Prof. Antwi-Danso holds the view that a new constitution written by a committee so established will repair any defects that currently plague the country’s democratic dispensation.

    “I believe that if we have something new (new constitution), politicians will jump to it to serve a better purpose,” he stressed.

    On proportional representation, he believes it will be the best for a true representation of the people in parliament, but fears implementing it may be fraught with challenges.

  • NPP unlikely to break the 8 given the current economic situation- Majority Leader

    NPP unlikely to break the 8 given the current economic situation- Majority Leader

    Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, is skeptical about the New Patriotic Party’s ability to break the eight given the current economic crisis.

    The Member of Parliament for Suame believes Ghanaians may turn their backs on the NPP come 2024 if they fail to address the current economic situation in the country.

    He was speaking to Captain Koda on the Kumasi based OTEC 102.9 FM’s morning show Nyansapo on Monday February 13,2023.

    “Retaining power in the 2024 general polls is not farfetched but the party will have to do more to make the living condition of the ordinary Ghanaian a bit easier “.

    “I strongly believe breaking the eight is doable, however we all must accept that, there is hardship in the country and as the adage goes ‘a hungry man is and angry man’, and so we must work hard to turn things around if indeed we want to remain in power”, he said.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Majority Leader now rejects fuel coupons to help save economy

    Majority Leader now rejects fuel coupons to help save economy

    Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has stated that he has ceased accepting fuel coupons while serving in the cabinet as part of his commitment to aiding the government’s efforts to save the country out of the current economic challenges.

    Per reports by JoyNews, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the majority leader and representative for Suame, also stated that he has cut the fuel vouchers to which he is entitled by half.

    “I personally think that I must do more… I no longer take fuel coupons as a cabinet minister.

    “It doesn’t come to me. And even parliament here, as the majority leader, I’m not having half of what I used to have prior to 2021,” he is quoted to have said on JoyNews’ PM Express.

    The Suame MP responded to requests for the government to reduce spending in order to assist relieve some of the burden of the crisis on the populace by saying that the government is already doing enough.

    “Well, maybe I would agree if they said government must do more. But to say that they haven’t done enough, some people say that they haven’t done anything. For those of them who say we haven’t done anything, I’ll disagree.

    “And I just pointed out to you what happened yesterday, and I’m aware that the President has directed that 30% of the salaries of the ministers must be forfeited to some other enterprise,” he said.

    He added that the government, aside from the reduction in the salaries of the ministers, is also greatly cutting other expenses.

  • Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu reacts to Suame NDC man’s ‘kill to win power’ comment

    Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu reacts to Suame NDC man’s ‘kill to win power’ comment

    The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Suame Constituency, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has condemned some comments made by an executive of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    He says the inciting comment made by the Suame NDC youth organiser to the effect that the NDC is ready to “kill for power” is unfortunate.

    According to the New Patriotic Party MP, such comments as made by the youth organiser is as a result of the propaganda being perpetuated by the leaders of the NDC.

    “I believe it’s a very unfortunate comment from anyone engaged in politics. When you look at Article 55 of our Constitution, it clearly spells out the purpose of a political party. It says we have a duty to build this nation to prosper around economic, social and political ideas. Sell your policies to people in your constituency to vote for you, how does that warrant killing?

    “He claims Akufo-Addo killed 8 people to gain political power. That is a very sad commentary from a person involved in politics. It is a problem with propaganda because these claims started being shared by some leaders of the NDC; claiming that Akufo-Addo killed people for power. But if we are going to look back in that regard, what happened at Atiwa during elections?… When Anita Desoso drove through a crowd injuring some people was it to win them power?” he said during an interview on Hello FM monitored by GhanaWeb.

    The police has announced that it had mounted a search for the said executive for his alleged comments relative to the 2024 general elections.

    The announcement by the police followed the publication of the viral video in which the said organiser is seen inciting members of the party to engage in violence to win power.

    Speaking to a journalist on the sidelines on what looked like a party event, the man charged members of the NDC not to hesitate to shed blood if it is what it will take to win power.

    “As journalists, you were witnesses to a situation where people were shot and killed in the 2020 elections. So standing here today, I am to make sure that no NPP member can come and kill me. So we are in and I will advise every true NDC member that in the 2024 elections when it becomes necessary to kill someone to win, kill them; even if it requires that you shoot someone or club them to win us power do it,” he told a journalist with Oyerepa FM.

    According to the Majority Leader, whereas there have been similar incidents of violence under an NDC administration, the blame cannot necessarily be placed on the president at the time.

    “Sometimes unfortunate things happen during elections but I will not accuse Prof Mills of being behind what happened in previous elections as well,” the MP said.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Government to stop importing of accident-related automobiles

    Government to stop importing of accident-related automobiles

    On February 7, 2020, the government declared its intention to forbid the importation of accident-related automobiles.

    This follows the announcement by some automakers of plans to set up shops and construct cars in Ghana.

    At the time, overage automobiles might enter the nation after paying a fine.

    Read the entire article as it appeared on StarrFM on February 7, 2020.

    To prevent the importation of oversized and accident-prone automobiles, the government has started legislative proceedings.

    When passed, the Customs Amendments Bill in parliament will control the entry of vehicles.

    Currently, overaged vehicles are allowed into the country after payment of penalty.

    But speaking during a media encounter in parliament Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu explained that the decision by many automobile companies to establish outlets in Ghana has informed amendments to Ghana’s laws on overaged and accident vehicles.

    “The customs amendment bill, I’m just giving you what these bills are meant to achieve. You will know that prior to the economic environment that we have now, it is almost good to mention the political stability that we have at the country. The sojourning of the President is yielding positive result in the sense we have many auto manufacturing companies that want to come and begin assembling automobile in the country… Nissan has given indication, Toyota has given indication and Synotrack has given indication and also from France, Rhino and if they want to come, we need to clean up the environment, you cannot have them to come and begin the production of new vehicles when you allow unfretted importation of second-hand vehicles. So we have to regulate the importation of second-hand vehicles.”

    According to him, “for a start, maybe we may begin by banning the importation of vehicles that are older than 10 years and then also prevent the import of salvaged vehicles (Salvage vehicles are those that have been involved in an accident), vehicles that are flooded–people claim them and bring them here, they are the reasons why we have so many accidents on our roads, so it is intended to amend the laws to suit the circumstances to draw down the curtains which will not happen overnight.”

    He added “We will suggest to ourselves once the vehicle assembly plants is rolling out, we may give ourselves a period of about six mounts and we say that six months after they start production, then the law could be activated. Of course, the second hand imported vehicles are also very expensive.”

    “If you can have the new vehicle from the factory selling at let say the equivalent of $10,000 dollars, why would you by a second-hand vehicles, and sometimes third-hand vehicles because some of these vehicles are sometimes 15 years old and on daily basis, they are getting involved in an accident when they have been written off in those countries, then they come here and we pride ourselves with second vehicles, so we need to relates to these matters,” the Majority Leader, explained.

    German car-maker, Volkswagen is one of the automobile companies set to open an assembling plant in Ghana in early 2020.

    In 2018 the company announced plans to set up a plant in Ghana as it continues to expand across Africa.

    Volkswagen already builds vehicles in Kenya and recently opened another car plant in Rwanda as part of its expansion project in East Africa.

    Toyota is also another company that will start to assemble vehicles in Ghana in August this year.

  • DDEP: Majority Leader’s comment on destroying middle class unfortunate, says Adei

    DDEP: Majority Leader’s comment on destroying middle class unfortunate, says Adei

    Bondholders’ inclusion in the debt exchange programme without further consultation, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu warned, could destroy the middle class.

    Professor Stephen Adei, an educationist and economist, has condemned Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s recent remark on domestic debt exchange as regrettable.

    Last week, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu issued a dire warning, saying that including bondholders in the programme without further discussion would mean the end of Ghana’s middle class.

    Adei responded to the Asaase 99.5 Accra comment by saying that duty bearers should be cautious when making comments about the domestic exchange program.

    “I was actually honestly mad at the Majority Leader’s comment about destroying the middle class after receiving the petition of aggrieved bondholders,” Adei said.

    “We must be very careful.”

    Professor Adei also suggested that the government revise the threshold for pensioners who may be affected by the ongoing Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.

    Adei argues that this will ensure that those who are vulnerable and financially unstable are exempted from the programme.

    The Ministry of Finance on Monday extended the deadline to register for its domestic debt exchange to 31 January 2023, in order to “secure internal approvals” from the financial sector.

    Speaking on Asaase 99.5 Accra on Monday (16 January), Adei warned that the country risks losing lives in the coming weeks if the government fails to review the threshold for pensioners.

    “The pensioners – my colleagues – it is because when we got our lump sum, our life investments, we invested it into government bonds. So that is what is now at stake …” he said.

    “There must be a threshold, so that there is a certain minimum. Other than that, some of my colleagues will physically die in a [few] weeks … it is a very serious matter.”

    Poor communication

    The economist wants the government to step up efforts in educating Ghanaians on which categories of individuals are likely to be affected by the debt exchange programme.

    “So much is being said without people understanding it,” Professor Adei said.

    “We are talking about young people like you who are yet to go for pension and have invested in the bonds for their future.

    “Communication has been terribly bad,” he said.

  • DDEP: Ghanaians will travel abroad or start a business to secure funds – Investment Analyst

    DDEP: Ghanaians will travel abroad or start a business to secure funds – Investment Analyst

    The economic downturn has led to the struggle of some businesses as the local currency – Cedi – depreciates against major trading currencies, especially the US dollar.

    Investors risk losing their monies due to some uncertainties in the financial sector in recent times.

    To safeguard their investments, many will pump their monies into already existing businesses or set up new businesses, a Finance and Investment Analyst, Ebenezer Asumang has said.

    Other investors, Ebenezer Asumang, said will travel abroad as part of finding alternative investment options.

    “People will look for alternative investments such as starting a business or investing in already existing ones or even traveling abroad more than saving to invest in financial instruments or on the capital market,” he told GhanaWeb Business.

    It would be recalled that Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, earlier this week urged government to engage in further dialogue on the implementation of its domestic debt exchange programme.

    According to the majority leader, the programme requires more engagement as it has the potential of wiping away the country’s middle class.

    Government of Ghana is seeking to revive the economy through a $3 billion International Monetary Fund loan.

    As part of its efforts to meet the conditions required for the loan, government has announced a domestic debt exchange programme aimed at varying the terms of existing government bonds.

    Meanwhile, goverment has extended the deadline for the expiration of the debt exchange programme to January 31, 2023.

    But the Minority in Parliament has asked government to as a matter of urgency suspend the debt exchange programme.

  • Debt Exchange: The upper middle class will look to invest abroad – Bright Simons predicts

    Debt Exchange: The upper middle class will look to invest abroad – Bright Simons predicts

    Many members of the upper middle class in society would now look for investment options abroad to secure their cash, according to Bright Simons, vice president of IMANI Africa.

    He claimed that the action will worsen the already weak economy.

    Bright Simons said, “Persons all heated up about how the economic crisis will now compel upper middle class folks to join the political fight for more accountability,” in a tweet that GhanaWeb Business was able to catch.
    I’m sorry to bust your bubble, but it will only encourage them to seek out additional foreign investment opportunities, which will worsen Ghana’s economic [issues].

    His comment comes after Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, urged government to engage in further dialogue on the implementation of its domestic debt exchange programme.

    According to the majority leader, the programme requires more engagement as it has the potential of wiping away the country’s middle class.

    Government of Ghana is seeking to revive the economy through a $3 billion International Monetary Fund loan.

    As part of its efforts to meet the conditions required for the loan, government has announced a domestic debt exchange programme aimed at varying the terms of existing government bonds.

    Meanwhile, goverment has extended the deadline for the expiration of the debt exchange programme to January 31, 2023.

    But the Minority in Parliament has asked government to as a matter of urgency suspend the debt exchange programme.

  • ‘Dangerous! Debt exchange program could wipe out middle class’ – Majority Leader

    ‘Dangerous! Debt exchange program could wipe out middle class’ – Majority Leader

    Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu warns that involving bondholders without further consultations could wipe out the middle class and will spell doom for the country.

    “What we talking about is that many of these bondholders also belong to the middle class and that’s where the major worry is.

    “If we are wiping away the middle class that could be dangerous, so we need to have some further dialogue on this. I’m not sure government takes interest and joy in suppressing anyone no government will have any joy in doing that.

    “So government thinks that this is the best way forward, however even if it is, we need to engage, reflect and then move on and that will encourage some people who have some doubt to better appreciate where we are.”

    This was his response to a group of individual bondholders led by convener, Senyo Hosi and private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu when they presented a petition to him and the ranking member of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Cassiel Ato Forson in Parliament House on Friday, to convey their grievances to the Executive.

    Major stakeholders including economists have urged government to halt the plan and exempt them from signing on to the restructuring deal which expires on Monday.

    But government says the aim of the program is to make the nation’s debts sustainable as a key component of securing an IMF deal.

    Ranking on the Finance Committee, Cassiel Ato Forson disagrees that government must proceed with individual bondholders.

    In the meeting with the individual bondholders, he called on the Finance Minister to immediately halt their inclusion for further consultations.

    In the interim, bondholders wait with bated breath on the next step government will take.

    But in all this, the Majority Leader fears progressing without caution would not only terminate the middle class but destroy the savings culture of the citizenry which has taken decades of painstaking work to build.

    “Nothing can substitute for discussions, round table discussions and engagements wherever we find ourselves in. I think it’s important that we go back to the drawing table to have engagements with the major stakeholders.

    “As he said, all of us are in it. And if we don’t manage well, we’ve gone through this before, way back some 25, 30 years ago and repositioning was a major, major difficulty.

    “Today many people are coming on board and if this thing should happen, how do we build confidence and trust and reconstruct a new savings culture?” he said.

    Source: myjoynline

  • We have the men: Most NPP aspirants can win 2024 elections – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

    We have the men: Most NPP aspirants can win 2024 elections – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

    Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader in Parliament, has emphasized the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) ‘we have the men’ slogan with respect to the upcoming 2024 flagbearerhip race.

    According to him, most of the aspirants who are rumoured to be interested or have openly declared their intentions have what it takes to represent the party and to ‘break the 8,’ i.e. win the 2024 elections.

    In an interview with pro-NPP network Asaase Radio (January 12, 2023), the Member of Parliament for Suame said even though a number of aspirants are in the race, one name stood above all but that he wa refraining from mentioning it yet.

    “I can say that many of them that I have assessed have the potential of helping us break the 8 [but] there may be a primo among them.

    “In terms of competence and qualification, I can vouch for many of them who have come up, like [Vice-President Mahamudu] Bawumia, Alan Kyerematen, Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Boakye Agyarko … Kennedy Agyapong, Kwabena Agyepong, Kofi Konadu Apraku …” he said.

    The comments by the MP, who also doubles as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, comes on the back of two cabinet-level resignations in respect of Alan Kyeremayen and Owusu Afriyie Akoto, outgoing Ministers of Trade and Industry and Agriculture respectively.

    The former resigned last week and has since announced his ambition to contest the NPP flagbearership. The latter’s resignation took place earlier this week and was accepted on Thursday, January 12.

    Both the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the NPP are expected to elect their flagbearers ahead of keenly-awaited 2024 elections.

    Former president John Dramani Mahama is seen as a frontrunner to lead the NDC for a third successive bid as candidate.

    In the case of the NPP, aside from Alan, Bawumia and the, former Minister of Agric, Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong and former General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong are among some of the candidates expected to contest for the slot.

  • Today in History: The majority leader suggests that the government will increase the collection of property taxes

    Today in History: The majority leader suggests that the government will increase the collection of property taxes

    Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the majority leader in Parliament, has announced the government’s decision to step up property tax collection in the nation.

    He described how the change will increase tax revenue for the nation.

    According to the population and housing census, the nation has roughly 8.5 million homes, according to Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.

    When you do valuation on buildings owned by individuals in most of our regional capitals, like as Kumasi and Accra, some of them are worth more than a million dollars and some of them are worth more than two million dollars.

    “With regards to commercial houses like hotels and others, you can get some valued at more than 50million dollars some close to 100 million dollars. How much do they pay on property rate?” he argued.

    Read the full story originally published on January 9, 2023 by Mynewsgh.

    The government of Ghana will in the year 2023 intensify the collection of property rates as a way of expanding its tax revenue for development, Majority Leader in Parliament has hinted

    According to Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who is also the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, the move by government is to increase revenue that will help mostly the local authorities as well.

    In his view, there are a lot of individuals and institutions in the country that own big houses but tend to either pay less of what they are supposed to or pay nothing to government.

    Speaking on Kumasi-based Akoma FM, Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu backed his argument with statistics from the National Statistical Service.

    “According to the population and Housing census, there are about 8.5 million houses in the country”, he quoted.

    “In most of our regional capitals like Kumasi and Accra, looking at buildings that belong to individuals, some are worth more than a million dollar some of them more than two million dollars when you do valuation.

    “With regards to commercial houses like hotels and others, you can get some valued at more than 50million dollars some close to 100 million dollars. How much do they pay on property rate?” he argued.

    According to him, the move by government will go a long way to help the country because that is one of the main revenue sources for most governments in developed countries.

    “When you go to developed countries, the local councils develop their area with money generated from property rates,” he revealed.

  • Our Parliament is not strong – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

    The majority leader and Minister for Parliament Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has said that the 8th Parliament of Ghana is not strong compared to previous Parliaments.

    Speaking in a TV3 interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu explained that this appears so because parliament’s committees are weak.

    According to him, the leadership of some of these committees in the House are inexperienced.

    “I generally agree that our Parliament is not strong. I keep saying that a Parliament is accessed on account of the strength of its committees. So, any Parliament is as strong as its committees are.

    “Our committees are not that strong. That is one of the reasons why our Parliament is not very strong. I keep relating to the structure of our committees including the leadership of committees. In established democracies, the Parliament will vote on who becomes the leader of a particular committee.

    “In our case, for instance, today, we happen to have some first-timers appointed as vice chairmen of committees even when we don’t know their strengths. That cannot be good for Parliament,” he said.

    He added that in established democracies, there is no way a newcomer in Parliament will be made a leader of a committee because the person at that point may not be able to grasp properly, the workings of the House.

  • We need a committee in parliament to assess impact of our loans – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

    Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has called for the establishment of a committee of parliament that would probe the impact of loan agreements by government.

    The lawmaker, in his submission, explained that the functions of the Finance Committee of Parliament are limited and cannot assess the economic impact of loans on the country.

    He said, “There should be a committee on the economy that will determine for Parliament, the impact of any loan that the nation will be taking. The Finance Committee has some functions like that, but they don’t make any referral of the impact of loans on the economy. They only talk about the terms and conditions. 10 or 15 years from now, we will wake up to the reality”.

    He also proposed to the House that chairpersons from the opposing party in the House be allowed to chair core committees.

    He argued that doing so would ensure proper checks and balances.

    “Parliament is as strong as its committees make it. The structure of our committee’s system is not helping us to grow our parliament. When we have a system where all committees are headed by the members from the ruling party, certainly you will have this dividend, you will really lower the standards of parliament”.

     

  • Parliament suspends approval of Office of Special Prosecutor’s 2023 budget allocation

    Parliament has suspended the approval of the 2023 budgetary allocation for the Office of Special Prosecutor.

    Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu alleges that Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has made unconstitutional appointments to the office and any allocation made to pay such persons will be unlawful.

    “I am strongly arguing that any appointment other than those done by the president be deemed illegal and unconstitutional,” he told the House on Friday.

    This follows allegations by the former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu to the effect that Mr. Agyebeng has appointed some persons to the office without recourse to public service procedures.

    Speaking in Parliament, Mr Iddrisu explained that no compensation can be appropriated to this creation.

    This comes a day after exclusive documents available to JoyNews revealed that Mr Agyebeng and his staff had not been paid salaries since his appointment 16 months ago.

    According to the said documents, only the Deputy Special Prosecutor has been paid; leaving other staff of the office agitated.

    The documents further disclosed that the former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu is owed salary arrears.

    Reacting to this development, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, says the situation can potentially derail the fight against corruption since the unpaid staff are left in a vulnerable state.

    However, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu raised some questions as to the validity of the claims made by the Minority Leader.

    He further criticised government for not paying the staff at the Special Prosecutor’s office.

    “We need to provide him with adequate remuneration such that he will not be exposed and be tempted to be courted. If that should happen Mr Speaker, this nation will be in serious trouble,” he said on Friday.

    The Speaker, Alban Bagbin, thereby deferred the approval of the OSP’s budget.

    Source: Myonline.com

  • Ofori-Atta Must Go: I’m not aware of any meetings with Akufo-Addo – NPP MP

    A meeting between President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and members of the Majority Caucus has been rejected by Central Member of Parliament Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi in response to demands for the resignation of Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.

     

    Despite claims to the contrary made by the majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the call that started with about 60 MPs and eventually grew to 89 MPs was not the position taken by the Majority Caucus.

     

    When MPs opted to allow Ofori-Atta to continue in his position temporarily on two conditions, Anyimadu Antwi claimed to Joy FM in Accra on December 11 that he was unaware of a widely reported discussion at the president.

    “I am not aware that we have met the president on this. Apart from not being part of that meeting, I am not aware of any meeting,” he said.

    Calls from within the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Ofori-Atta‘s dismissal over the economic downturn has been increasing over the last few months especially after Ghana went to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to seek a bailout.

    Amid threats by the ‘Ken Must Go’ MPs to boycott government business led by the embattled minister, the presidency convened a meeting where concessions were made.

    Among others that Ofori-Atta should present the 2023 budget and see through the Appropriation Bill and to also conclude ongoing round of talks with the IMF with government eyeing a staff-level agreement for a programme by end of the year.

    After the ‘rebel’ MPs reignited their call for the minister’s dismissal, the NPP national leaders also held a meeting with the Caucus where it was agreed that they will stick to the agreement reached with the president.

  • Economic Management Team has no constitutional basis – Majority Leader ‘shields’ Bawumia

    The Economic Management Team (EMT) post lacks a constitutional foundation, according to Minority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and the Minister of Finance, who serves at the president’s direction, is in charge of economic management as a whole.

    Whenever the subject of the economy came up, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which is theoretically in charge of the EMT, promptly enlisted Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the member of parliament for Suame stated it was curious.

    He cited how, despite economic challenges under the John Atta-Mills administration, then-Vice President John Dramani Mahama was not ‘attacked’ as head of EMT in order to make the argument that the president bears primary responsibility for the economy.

    “When the Minority Group discusses the current economic challenges, they chuck along the Vice President as chair on Economic Management Team of cabinet. President Mills after 2011 had GDP growth rate drop from 14.4% in 2010 to 9.5% in 2011. Into 2012, GDP swung down again, the Vice President (then John Mahama) was chair of EMT but nobody roped him in.

    “The reason is that the Finance Minister manages the economy for and on behalf of the president not the Vice President. In the cabinet set up, in the committee system, the Vice President is not the chairman of the Economic Committee. Vice Presidents have never been.

    “In fact, I should tell you that the Economic Management Team has no constitutional basis…. So, when people talk about this, it is just because they want to give the Vice President a bad name, like the proverbial dog, just give it a bad name and hang it,” he submitted.

    The MP who also doubles as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs made the submissions on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 during his final submissions on the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government debate in Parliament.

    Ghana is currently facing economic headwinds with a domestic debt programme facing opposition from stakeholders – largely from institutional bondholders.

    Government is hoping to close a deal on debt restructuring at home in order to be able to access an International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility to support the failing economy.

    Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta on December 6 announced that government was restructuring bonds held by institutional investors, putting them into four groups stretching 15 years. With interest also spread in four tranches in four years.

    The Domestic Debt Exchange programme as it is called has faced some stiff opposition from major professional groups and workers union in the country.

  • Economic crisis: MPs should consider 10 – 15% pay cut – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

    Members of Parliament have been urged to take wage cuts into consideration in order to demonstrate their support for struggling Ghanaians.

    On Tuesday, December 6, 2022, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu made the suggestion during his closing remarks for the debate in Parliament on the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government.

    Times are difficult, but as representatives of the people, it would be wise to learn from the Executive branch of government, which has been suffering a 30% wage cut since early this year, according to the Leader, who is also the MP for Suame.

    “Mr. Speaker, perhaps as Members of Parliament, just as the Executive has done, maybe we could also, even though these are difficult period for all of us…

    “We could also utilize the opportunity and also show some example by sacrificing anything between 10 and 15% of our salaries to demonstrate to fellow Ghanaians that we are with them in these difficult moments,” he suggested.

    He also proposed that with the funds, Parliament could use the youth to build toilets at designated points monthly.

    He also proposed that government reviews flagship projects in order to get achieve greater value for money and also that salary adjustments be made in respect of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in order to realign their earnings to the Single Spine Salary structure.

    Ghana is currently facing economic headwinds with a domestic debt programme facing opposition from stakeholders – largely from institutional bondholders.

    Government is hoping to close a deal on debt restructuring at home in order to be able to access an International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility to support the failing economy.

    Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta on December 6 announced that government was restructuring bonds held by institutional investors, putting them into four groups stretching 15 years. With interest also spread in four tranches in four years.

    The Domestic Debt Exchange programme as it is called has faced some stiff opposition from major professional groups and workers union in the country.

  • Parliament approves 2023 budget

    On Tuesday, December 6, 2022 parliament approved the Budget and Economic Statement for the 2023 fiscal year.

    According to 3news.com, the budget was approved by the House after the conclusion of the debate on it by Members of Parliament.

    The leader of the minority caucus of the House, Haruna Iddrisu, who concluded the debate on behalf of the Minority, urged the government to drastically cut down its expenditure in order to deal with the challenges facing the economy.

    “It is the demand of this group that there must be major expenditure cuts otherwise some of your tax handles will suffer in our hands. For instance, GHS1.4 billion allocation to contingency vote, we shouldn’t give him that,” he said.

    For his part, the Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said that the approval of the budget will help ensure that some infrastructure projects including roads are completed.

    “Some roads have begun. Intention is to ensure that they don’t deteriorate; they are not left unattended to,” he said.

  • Parliament rises on Wednesday, December 21

    According to Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the majority leader, the sessions of Parliament will be adjourned on Wednesday, December 21.

    The House is scheduled to meet on Monday, December 5, according to Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who presented the Business Statement for the week ending on Friday, December 9.

    This, he said, was to enable the expeditious consideration of the Budget Estimates and the passing of the Appropriation Bill, 2023 prior to the House adjourning on Wednesday, 21st December.

    The third meeting of Parliament for 2022 resumed from recess on Tuesday, October 25.

  • The 2023 budget will be discussed in Parliament on Tuesday

    On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, members of Parliament (MPs) will start debating the 2023 budget statement.

    The debate is expected to focus on finance, agriculture, trade, and industry on November 29, communications, energy, roads, works, housing, sanitation, and environment on Wednesday, and health, youth and sports, education, tourism, culture, and chieftaincy on December 1 are other areas of concern, according to deputy majority leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin.

    A two-day workshop was organized over the weekend to empower lawmakers and offer them insights into the 2023 budget as they ready themselves for the debate on the floor.

    Already the minority in parliament is demanding a review of some revenue mobilization measures outlined in the budget such as scrapping of the daily minimum threshold exemption for E-Levy and further reduction in the rate to 0.5%.

    In an address at the post-budget workshop for MPs in Ho over the weekend, Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu warned decision to freeze public sector employment and cutting down of numbers admitted into teaching and nursing schools will further exacerbate the already worst unemployment canker.

    The Tamale South MP warned though his side is willing to support government’s effort in resuscitating the economy, the 2.5% increment in VAT rate will be treated with the NPP’s Kume Preko demonstration against introduction of the tax in 1995 in mind.

    Majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu however called on the NDC MPs to support government’s effort in addressing the economic crisis arguing the NDC also in the past opposed things that have ended up benefiting the country such as the discovery of oil in commercial quantities.

    Some aspects of the budget such as the intent to review the 1.5% e-levy downwards and the introduction of a 2.5% VAT have already triggered discussions within the public.

    Businesses have opposed the new tax policy, while mobile money users have criticized the removal of the threshold on transactions.

  • Freeze on public sector employment will worsen un- employment rate – Minority Leader

    Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu is concerned about the government’s decision to freeze public sector employment in 2023.

    He fears this will compound the high youth unemployment situation in the country.

    Expressing his grievances over the decision at a post-budget workshop at Ho in the Volta Region, Mr Iddrisu, charged the government to consider its impact on the youth of this country.

    “Mr. Speaker, Ghana’s economy and as I listened to the Honourable Minister of Finance, the 2023 budget statement is replete with evidence that the government is simply ‘broke’ and the economy in crisis,” he said.

    The concern follows the reading of the 2023 budget, dubbed the “Nkabom budget.”

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta, during the budget reading announced various policies aimed at “expenditure rationalisation” which included a freeze on hiring into the public and civil service effective January 2023.

    Addressing the content of the budget, the Minority Leader, who doubles as the Tamale South MP, intimated that the budget was an indication of the highly distressed state of the country.

    It is “an economy under life support that needs some resuscitation,” he stressed.

    He contended that some of the interventions that the government is seeking to embark on, including the capping of enrolment of nursing and teacher trainees and the reduction of the size of convoys, would rather worsen the state of the economy.

    The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu, on the other hand,explained that the shocks and the depreciation of the cedi have been major contributing factors to the current economic hardships, which the 2023 Budget seeks to tackle.

    “These (COVID-19 and Russian-Ukraine war) have created internal and external imbalances in the clearly economic woes; high inflation and unsustainable financing of the current economic deficit and rapid depreciation of the cedi. Suddenly, these variables have brought a lot of hardships to the citizenry, particularly the poor and vulnerable,” he noted.

    He added that the budget intends to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians through increased spending on social protection.

     

  • Sacking Ofori-Atta: We believe Akufo-Addo will keep to his promises – Majority leader

    Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has said that his caucus is confident that President Akufo-Addo will keep his promise of relieving the finance minister of his duties after the terms of agreements reached with the NPP leadership are fulfilled.

    The leadership of the NPP signed an agreement with the Members of Parliament of the party, which binds them to be present for the reading of the 2023 budget by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    A meeting between the lawmakers and leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was held on November 23, at which some agreements were reached.

    The main points are that Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, will be supported in presenting the budget and seeing through its appropriation, as well as allowed to see through the current phase of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

     

    The meeting comes on the back of a renewed call by some 98 NPP MPs, who threatened to boycott the budget presentation if Ofori-Atta presents it.

    Speaking in a TV3 interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said that the caucus accepted the plea of the president because of the importance of the budget to the country.

    He added that in the event that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo fails to act on the demand of NPP MPs after the minister completes the state activities, the caucus will take the necessary action.

    “When we get there, we shall cross the bridge. But I believe that the president would positively respond to his own commitment,” he added.

    Watch the interview below:

  • ‘2023 budget must break the past, chart new path to restore macroeconomic stability’ – IEA

    The next 2023 budget, which will be read in parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022, according to Dr. John Kwakye, director of research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), needs to concentrate on the nation’s macroeconomic stability.

    In 2023, he urged the government to raise the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to at least 15 to 16%.

    Dr. Kwakye also urged the nation’s economic controllers to reduce poverty and establish the framework for long-term sustainable growth.

    He stated at an Accra press conference that “it must break from the past and chart a new route to restore macroeconomic stability while building the groundwork for long-term sustainable growth and poverty alleviation.”

    “The 2023 budget must break from this unacceptable past. We believe that we should be able to increase tax revenue/Gross Domestic Product to at least 15-16% in 2023 and further to 18-20% in 2024. At the same time, total revenue/GDP could be increased to 18-20% in 2023 and 22-25% in 2024”, he stressed.

    The presentation of the budget in parliament is in pursuance of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

    This will allow the Finance Minister to review the budget statement and economic policy of the government and supplementary estimates for the 2023 financial year.

    Earlier, the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, had hinted that the presentation of the 2023 budget statement might delay due to the ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

    The government is requesting $3 billion from the Bretton Woods institution to help stabilize the economy.

  • You’re a majority leader, not a majority messenger – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told

    Dr. Amoako Baah, a senior member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has chastised the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for his handling of the call for the resignation of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta by some members of his caucus.

    According to Dr. Baah, because the NPP MPs calling for Ofori-Atta’s removal form the Majority of the party’s parliamentary caucus, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu should be the one leading the charge.

    Dr. Baah, a retired political science lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNSUT), added that the majority leader cannot stand in the middle and just inform President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the demands of his members.

    “…I have been saying that Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is not performing his duties as majority leader well. If you are a majority leader and your members are agitating about an issue, you must first engage them, and if what they are saying is true, you have to join them.

    “So that if you lead them to the president, you will be there as part of them, not just their speaker or messenger. That is why you’re called the majority leader and not the majority messenger.

    “You go to the president and you tell him that they said they don’t agree with you. Is this what you are supposed to do? Why are you their leader? Can’t they (the MPs) speak for themselves?” he said.

    Dr. Baah also claimed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lost it when the majority leader informed him of some NPP MPs’ demand that Ofori-Atta be relieved of his duties, questioning whether they were aware of the role Data Bank, the finance minister’s bank, played in financing his presidential campaign.

    Meanwhile, the number of NPP MPs calling for the sacking of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has increased to 98 from the initial 80.

    The 80 MPs had earlier made calls for the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State for Finance, Charles Adu Boahen.

    The MPs later backed down following a meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who asked that the minister be given time to conclude Ghana’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund as well as the presentation of the 2023 budget in parliament.

    However, in an interview with Joy News, the 80 MPs’ spokesperson, Andy Appiah-Kubi, stated that the group is returning to their original demand for the finance minister’s removal.

    According to the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, their renewed demand, with the support of 18 other members of their caucus, is because the minister’s position is now untenable.

    He added that the anti-Ofori-Atta MPs will boycott the budget presentation if he is allowed to come to parliament to present the budget.

  • Gabby denies Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s claims on Finance Minister job, others

    Gabby Otchere-Darko, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party, has disputed claims by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, that he said the Majority Leader was behind moves to get the Finance Minister removed.

    Responding to reports that the Majority Leader also accused him of trying to undermine his attempt to be the Suame MP, Mr. Otchere-Darko said on Facebook: “I have since sent him a message on this denying same.”

    Reports indicated that Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said Mr. Otchere-Darko had called him the ringleader behind the NPP MPs calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister.

    Mr. Otchere-Darko is alleged to have sponsored a failed candidate against the Majority Leader in the NPP parliamentary primaries in Suame leading to the 2016 general elections.

    These claims by Mr. Otchere-Darko are said to have come during a broadcast on Asaase Radio.

    But he refuted these claims in his Facebook post.

    “I have said no such thing on Asaase Radio or any other radio station or media house, whether on air, online, or in print, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, my position, so far, on this issue in Parliament within the Majority Caucus, has been to deliberately stay away from commenting on it publicly.”

    “I have never sponsored any candidate against the Majority Leader for the Suame seat. I would never do such a thing to a person I considered a strong loyalist, even within the NPP,” he posted.

  • Who does Gabby Otchere-Darko think he is? – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu fumes

    The Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has expressed anger over some allegations levelled against him by a stalwart of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko.

    According to the Member of Parliament for Suame, Mr Otchere-Darko has wrongly accused him of being the mastermind behind some NPP MPs demanding the sacking of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    “From nowhere, we hear Gabby Otchere-Darko on his Asaase Radio accusing me of instigating what was happening, for what? What do I stand to gain from that?” he retorted.

    Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Sompa Radio, the majority leader questioned the authority of the cousin of the finance minister for leveling such allegations against him.

    “There are people who would rather want to cause disintegration while you are committed to integrating. But now this has brought about another sense of anger. That Gabby Otchere-Darko, who does he think he is? I serve Akufo-Addo, and I serve the party as well as the government… when we talk about the government itself, what is your locus standi to be accusing me of being an instigator?” the majority leader questioned.

    The majority leader noted that it rather took his intervention to instill calm when a group of MPs in the NPP made public demands for the dismissal of the finance minister.

    “With the way the thing started, if I had not been hinted at by a colleague to intervene, we would have been in a bad place. Today is November 15, and we were supposed to present the budget today, but we had to postpone to 24th because I realised we may not be prepared after studying the situation. I sat with the finance minister and agreed with him to postpone it. After doing this and you turn to accuse me of being an instigator, what if I decide to watch and let everything fall apart?” he stated.

    Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who also doubles as the Minister for Parliamentary Business, further accused Gabby of sponsoring a contestant against him in the 2016 primaries of the NPP, noting that he failed in his agenda.

    “You (Gabby) are the same person who wrote something for someone to publish on his radio station that I will lose if I contest for re-election, hence my saying that I will not contest again. Gabby Otchere-Darko, have you contested an election before? They are the same people who sponsored people to contest against me in 2016, it didn’t work for them.”

    According to the majority leader, Gabby Otchere-Darko accused him of instigating calls for the finance minister’s sacking just so the leader of government business in parliament can be considered as a replacement for the under fire Ken Ofori-Atta.

    There have been public calls for the sacking of Ken Ofori-Atta, with his critics citing him as responsible for Ghana’s current economic challenges.

    In a recent press conference, NPP members in parliament demanded the minister’s dismissal, claiming that doing so would help restore confidence in the Ghanaian economy.

    Their demand, however, is said to have been met by a request from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who asked that Ken Ofori-Atta be allowed to conclude Ghana’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

    The president further demanded that the minister be allowed to present the 2023 budget before the demand for his removal may be considered.

  • Those suggesting I contest NPP presidential primaries are leading me into temptation – Majority Leader

    Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader of Parliament, has stated that those who advocate for him to be the next presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are leading him into temptation.

    He claimed that, while these people have good intentions, such a suggestion will only lead him into temptation.

    He was responding to a suggestion made by some Ghanaians who claim to be Suame members in the United Kingdom for him (Kyei-Mensah) to run in the presidential primaries.

    However, the lawmaker told Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm Frontline host Kwabena Agyapong that such a suggestion is a temptation.

    The lawmaker stated, “Those who make the suggestion is leading me astray…

    “What I will suggest is that we need someone who can resonate and win the NPP victory. There is only one presidential slot available, and we need a candidate who can connect with the people “.

    In response to a question about whether he would accept the position of running mate, he stated, “We’re not there yet.” We’ll cross the bridge when we get there.

  • You praised and approved Ofori-Atta excellently; what has changed? – Kwesi Pratt asks

    Kwesi Pratt Jnr has questioned why the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament have now turned against Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta and are demanding his dismissal.

    The famous 80

    It may be recalled that over 80 MPs on Tuesday, October 25, held a press conference to demand that Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen be sacked from their respective roles. This led to a meeting with President Akufo-Addo where he requested that the Finance Minister be allowed to conclude IMF talks and present the 2023 budget statement.

    Majority call

    Subsequently, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu indicated that the call for the Finance Minister to be axed is from the entire Majority caucus.

    “Even though the issue started with a group of 80-plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the decision of that group. So it is no longer the cause of the 80-plus group. It is the agenda for the entire caucus,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said to journalists in Parliament.

    Meanwhile, reports rife indicate that the NPP MPs have changed their minds about allowing the Finance Minister to present the budget statement. They want a different person to do it; insisting Ghanaians have lost confidence in him.

    Vote of censure

    Meanwhile, the Minority has moved the motion on a vote of censure against the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    The Minority in its motion cited the overall mismanagement of the economy, and incompetence, among others.

    Why the Change?

    Kwesi Pratt Jnr speaking in a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ wondered why the once acclaimed competent Finance Minister is now being ‘battered’

    “These same MPs said the economic hardship is due to Russia/Ukraine war and covid. You praised him (Ofori Atta) for his competence so what has changed, to the extent that you’re now demanding for his head? We need answers. Apart from that, the Minority prior to Ofori Atta’s nomination said all sorts of things against him but in the end, they approved him excellently. So we need an explanation on why they’re now moving a motion of censure against him. If they knew they were going to level the same accusations against him, they shouldn’t have approved him in the first place…what kind of Kwaku ananse story is this? If they don’t take care, a time will come they will not be taken seriously,” he stated.

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • NPP MPs threaten to drag Speaker to court over Adwoa Safo ruling

    The majority in parliament claims it is considering taking Alban Bagbin, speaker of the house, to the Supreme Court for his decision about Sarah Adwoa Safo, a member of parliament from Dome-Kwabenya.

    The majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, called the decision “unfortunate” and suggested that the Speaker might have erred in his interpretation of the legislation.

    “If we lend ourselves by what I consider to be a very capricious ruling, then the Supreme Court would be the final arbiter,” he added.

    The issue whether the Dome Kwabenya MP should lose her seat for missing more than 15 sittings must be discussed by the entire House, according to Alban Bagbin’s ruling.

    Her continuous absence from Parliament divided the House with the Majority interestingly taking the view that the Privileges Committee report should be final.

    Majority MPs to drag Bagbin to Supreme Court over Adwoa Safo rulingMajority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

    “As I have noted in this ruling, the decision as to whether or not to admit a motion is the exclusive preserve of the Speaker. In view of the foregoing, the House is well within its rights to receive and consider the report of the Committee and make a determination arising out of the recommendation,” Mr Bagbin ruled.

    But the Suame MP says the Speaker was wrong and they are determined to fight it before the debate.

    “When they [Privileges Committee] have made that determination, it doesn’t come back to Parliament for Parliament to vote on it. So for the Speaker to come in with what I consider very unfortunate interpretation of the Constitution… this is a matter of the interpretation of the Constitution and it can go to the Supreme Court,” he added.

    A day after the Speaker’s ruling, an NPP legislator commenced the process of filing a suit at the Supreme Court to have her seat declared vacant.

    In documents cited by Myjoyonline.com, the MP is praying the Court that by failing to appear before the Privileges Committee to explain her absence from Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo ceases to be a Member of Parliament.

    The Ahafo Ano North MP, Sulemana Adamu Sanid, is contesting the Speaker’s ruling.

    “A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 97(1)(c) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, a member of Parliament who absents himself/herself, without permission in writing of the Speaker and he/she is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on privileges, from fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament during any period that Parliament has been summoned to meet and continues to meet, automatically forfeits his/her membership of the Parliament of Ghana,” portions of the reliefs read.

    Background

    Before going on recess in July, Mr. Bagbin deferred his ruling on whether the Dome-Kwabenya seat should be declared vacant or not following Madam Safo’s failure to honour an invite by the Privileges Committee on her continuous absence from Parliament.

    Mr. Bagbin, on May 4, referred Madam Safo, Mr. Henry Quartey, MP of Ayawaso Central, and Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP, Assin Central, to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves from 15 sittings of the House without his permission.

    That was during the First Session of the Eighth Parliament.

    The Committee failed to achieve a consensus in its recommendations on whether absenting herself for more than the mandatory 15 days without permission warranted her seat being declared vacant.

    Majority MPs to drag Bagbin to Supreme Court over Adwoa Safo rulingDome-Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo

    The Majority, however, wants the seat declared vacant without delay in line with stated constitutional provisions.

    It observed that Madam Safo failed to take advantage of the numerous opportunities to explain her absence without leave.

    Meanwhile, the Majority of MPs on the Committee cited Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and the Court of Appeal decision in the case of Prof Stephen Kwaku Asare v the Attorney-General & 3 Ors, in this regard.

    The Minority MPs on the Committee, argued that according to the principle of natural justice, the seat should not be declared vacant because Madam Safo did not provide her side of the story to the Committee.

    The Committee, however, determined that the explanation offered by her two colleagues, Mr. Agyepong and Mr. Quartey for absenting themselves, were reasonable.

    A copy of the report made available to the Ghana News Agency before recess, showed that the Committee members gave a split decision on the fate of Madam Safo.

  • Fuel price hikes: Asuogyaman MP advocates for Parliament to sit twice a week

    The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuogyaman, has urged Parliament to consider sitting twice a week instead of the regime of four times; due to fuel hikes facing the country.

    This, Thomas Nyarko Ampem said, would enable members of the House to save some money that would have been used by them to buy fuel (which was now very costly) for shuttling to and from Parliament.

    Mr Ampem made the suggestion on the floor of the House on Friday in his contribution during presentation of the Business Statement of the House for the week ending Friday, November 11.

    “Mr Speaker, we all know that the main business for this particular meeting is the budget and I have observed that for the days we have been here, sometimes, we come and in less than two hours we adjourned till the next day.

    “I am asking whether it will be possible for the Business Committee to consolidate, park the activities; so, instead of four days, we come for two days in a week, to enable us to save on the amount of money we are using for fuel,” Mr Ampem stated.

    “Because, Mr Speaker, a day before yesterday, I went to a Goil Filling Station at Legon, my lights were on, and I asked them to fill my tank. I got down to the shop to buy something when I came back, GH¢3000 was my bill.

    “Mr Speaker, I had only GH¢2,100 on me, and I had to call my colleague Honourable Yussif Jajah Issaka (MP for Ayawaso North) to send me money through the momo that I am avoiding using before I was able to pay my bill.

    “So, Mr Speaker, looking at the kind of business that we have, is it not possible, because we can stay for six hours a day instead of coming for two hours and we go back.

    “We drive to this place and two hours, we go back. Even if it is eight hours, we will be willing to stay to do the business for like two-days. That way, we can save GH¢500 of fuel every week.”

    Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, who presented the Business Statement of the House, in his response to Mr Ampem, said they all recognised that fuel prices had gone up; saying, “I mean, we are all in this country, we all buy fuel, and we know that fuel prices have indeed gone up.”

    “Of course, we may disagree on the course, but I will relate it to the price at the international level, I know that crude price now has gone up, it is escalating dramatically, we do know.”

    He said that the other factor responsible for the fuel price hikes was the strength of the Ghana Cedis, now.

    The Majority Leader said a combination of the two factors were responsible for the fuel price hikes.

    “When we are in dire circumstances that is when we are called upon to increase productivity. And for a Member of Parliament to say that we should be working just two days in week, Mr Speaker, that is a very apocalyptic declaration from the Member of Parliament,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.

    “What would be the effect on national productivity? And what would be the effect on GDP (gross domestic product)? I think that it is an unfortunate call on us that we should be working just two days in a week.”

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • MP proposes reduction in Parliamentary sitting days over fuel hikes

    The Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, Thomas Nyarko Ampem is calling on the leadership of Parliament to consider two sittings in a week due to the recent increases in fuel prices.

    The MP says the House should consider sitting for about 8 hours a day for the proposed two days to save cost on fuel for the week.

    “We will be willing to stay and do the business for like two days and then save the three days. That way, we can save GH¢500 on fuel every week and this will also be in line with Mahama’s proposal to organizations to allow those who can work from home to do so because the fuel situation is killing us.”

    The MP said the current business of the House makes it possible to extend the sitting hours.

    “Looking at the kind of business that we have, is it not possible to stay for six hours a day instead of coming two hours, and we go back after two hours.”

    The MP made the call on Friday after the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, presented the Business Statement for the ensuing week in Parliament.

    The Majority Leader described the proposal as apocalyptic with dire consequences.

    Fuel prices have been increased twice in the month of October 2022 with diesel now selling for GH¢23.49 per litre, petrol selling at GH¢17.99 per litre, and Kerosene selling at GH¢14.70.

     

     

    Source: Citi News