The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has told the new minority leadership led by Ajumako Enyan Essiam lawmaker Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to follow the records of their predecessors.
Welcoming the new minority leaders in Parliament on Tuesday, February 7, Speaker Bagbin indicated that the former Minority leadership led by Haruna Iddrisu gained remarkable records for their work.
Mr Bagbin said “I only welcome them to the Hot seat of the leadership of Parliament. Congratulations, I wish you well.”
To the former leaders, Haruna Iddrisu, Muntaka Mubarak and James Kluste Avedzi, he said “The former members of the leadership led by Haruna Iddirsu must be applauded. Their record for performance is visible for all to see and I hope the new leadership will follow. The Lord is your shepherd, you shall not want.”
The former leadership pledged earlier to abide by the resolution to rally behind the new leadership.
This was after the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia had said that all the challenges that came up following the removal of Haruna Iddrisu, James Kluste Avedzi, and Muntaka Mubarak as Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, and Minority Chief Whip respectively, have been resolved.
To that end, he said that the party and the Minority caucus have passed a resolution to rally behind the new minority leadership.
After a crunch meeting on Monday, February 6, Mr Asiedu Nketia said “The meeting was called by the Council of Elders, the National leadership, and our caucus in Parliament to announce a resolution of what was perceived as an essentially threatening crisis…
“You can see from the enthusiasm that the challenges that arose out of the announcement of the new leadership of our caucus in Parliament have all been resolved. All concerns have been addressed so we are just looking forward.”
Following the meeting, former Deputy Minority Leader James Kluset Avedzi said “I write on behalf of my colleagues to thank the Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress and former President H. E. John Dramani Mahama for resolving the challenges that engulfed the Party in Parliament after the announcement of leadership changes in Parliament.
“We the former leaders made up of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, the former Minority Leader, Hon. James Klutse Avedzi, Deputy Minority Leader and Hon. Muntaka Mubarak, Minority Chief Whip assured the Council of Elders of the Party when we met them on Tuesday 17th January 2023, that we will abide by their resolution of the challenges. This assurance was disclosed to the Council when Hon. Haruna Iddrisu asked me to sum up our position on the matter. Thank you very much Council of Elders and H. E. John Dramani Mahama.
“We want to assure the new minority leadership of our full support in the interest of the Party as we prepare to rustle power from the insensitive NPP in the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
“The NDC remains the only hope for the good people of Ghana so we shall remain united to realize the hope of Ghanaians.”
The changes that were made resulted in sharp division among the opposition lawmakers.
For instance, Asawase Member of Parliament Muntaka Mubarak told national executives of the party that they could just remove the leadership of the Minority merely by writing a letter to them.
“If you cannot write a letter to appoint, how can you write to disappoint?” He asked at a press conference in Parliament on Thursday.
Muntaka was unhappy with the changes that have been made to the leadership of the Minority by the party.
He believed that the decision was made by a few executives although the statement announcing it was signed by the General Secretary Fifi Kwetey.
He added “We don’t want to create enmity among us unnecessarily, we believe that the right process should be followed.”
He further stated ” If the right process is followed we will be happy and thank them for the opportunity to serve. We hope that they will help fast-track the hearing of the issues.”
Over sixty of the NDC Mps signed a petition to the party executives to reverse their decision.
According to them, the decision was unpopular for which they wanted it reversed.
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana