The Majority Leader in Parliament Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has been accused of failing to demonstrate leadership in using his influence to ensure that the controversial E-Levy bill is passed into law.
Professor Ransford Gyampo, an associate professor in the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana who made the accusation believes the time has come for the veteran lawmaker to step down.
In an open letter to the Suame MP, Gyampo argued the current composition in Parliament requires diplomacy to push through government business.
“I asked that you be replaced as majority leader, not out of malice but just to help your government manoeuvre and meander its way in governing even in the wake of the difficulties likely to be imposed by the kind of parliament we currently have.
“Sir, in an attempt to pass the e-levy, you have been unable to mobilize all your 137 plus 1 MPs to give a simple majority support for the proposal. If all 137 plus 1 MPs vote while Speaker Bagbin sits, the e-levy, regardless of the public outcry against it, will pass by a simple majority decision. If you cannot mobilize all your members to support the e-levy, the next strategy will be to court the support of a few members of the NDC, like the NDC successfully did in getting Bagbin elected as Speaker. But this one too, you haven’t been able to do.
“I sincerely believe that the current parliament has no room for political hawks in its leadership and that, there are some moderate NPP MPs who can lead in parliament to build bridges and whose utterances wont be repulsive to genuine efforts at building consensus. That’s why I asked and I am still asking for your reshuffle. If this makes me an NDC man, well, the good people of Ghana are better judges, “ Gyampo wrote.
Below is the full letter:
Dear Sir,
I listened to your interview on Joy News where you alleged that I am a die-hard NDC man, simply bcos I asked that you be replaced with a new leader who knows the tact and skill of building consensus to aid government business in Ghana’s Hung Parliament regime. I am responding, not because being tagged NDC or NPP is criminal. I am doing so because you peddled a falsehood.
Sir, you claimed I haven’t criticized the NDC before. But I want to assume you have either forgotten or you were not in Ghana when the NDC was in power, and cannot also do a simple search of my comments against the Mills/Mahama regime.
I therefore forgive you.
I asked that you be replaced as majority leader, not out of malice but just to help your government manoeuvre and meander its way in governing even in the wake of the difficulties likely to be imposed by the kind of parliament we currently have.
Sir, in an attempt to pass the e-levy, you have been unable to mobilize all your 137 plus 1 MPs to give a simple majority support for the proposal. If all 137 plus 1 MPs vote while Speaker Bagbin sits, the e-levy, regardless of the public outcry against it, will pass by a simple majority decision.
If you cannot mobilize all your members to support the e-levy, the next strategy will be to court the support of a few members of the NDC, like the NDC successfully did in getting Bagbin elected as Speaker. But this one too, you haven’t been able to do.
I sincerely believe that the current parliament has no room for political hawks in its leadership and that, there are some moderate NPP MPs who can lead in parliament to build bridges and whose utterances wont be repulsive to genuine efforts at building consensus. That’s why I asked and I am still asking for your reshuffle. If this makes me an NDC man, well, the good people of Ghana are better judges.
But respectfully, you cannot continue to lead with the same hawkish tendencies when clearly the current composition of parliament makes the need to change leadership a categorical imperative. Without changes, government business will suffer and the effect will be more felt by we the ordinary people.
Finally, Sir, please note that the job of a Political Scientist is to scrutinize existing regimes that wield the fiduciary trust of the people with a view to subjecting them to strict proofs and keeping them on their toes. That’s why we offer constructive criticisms against only those in power. These criticisms are without malice and never aimed at making regimes unpopular.
The practice of associating yourself with criticisms of regimes from Political Scientists when you are in opposition, and tagging same people as being in bed with the opposition after you’ve won power, is disingenuous, Sir.
Let me end by saying that I am not NDC and I am not NPP too. I enjoy being in the middle and I have good friends like yourself, in both parties.
I thank you for your attention and God bless
Fred Dzakpata
Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online
99.5 in Accra, 90.7 in Ho, 98.5 in Kumasi, 99.7 in Tamale, 89.5 in Tarkwa, and 106.9 in Walewale
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
#AsaaseRadio
#TheVoiceofOurLand
