Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban S.K. Bagbin has advised the new minority leadership led by MP for Ajumako Enyan Essiam Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson to follow the records of their predecessors.
According to him, the record of the Haruna-led leadership is visible for all to see and urged the new leadership to draw from their fountain of wisdom, and trove of wealth and experience.
He averred that he knows what it entails to lead a populous Minority caucus in Parliament as a veteran of this journey and experience.
“All I can say to the former leaders is, the Lord is your Shepherd, you shall not want. When one door closes, many doors open, and I tell you for sure that many of the open doors are better and higher than the closed door. Look at the open doors and not the closed ones,” he stated.
Speaker Bagbin offered the advice in his welcome remarks on Tuesday 7th February, 2023 when the House returned from recess for the first sitting of the first meeting of the third session of the 8th Parliament.
The new Minority leadership comprising Minority leader, Ajumako Enyan Essiam member Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Deputy leader Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Minority Chief Kwame Governs Agbodza and the First and Second Deputy Minority Whips –Armed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe-Ghansah assumed its position at the front bench.
The reshuffle of the Minority front bench ruffled some feathers but a final meeting with the entire members of the caucus and Council of Elders has settled the matter.
The Speaker observed, however, that the new leaders have all been in their House for a while and are very conversant with the culture and law of parliament and expressed confidence in their ability to meet the high expectations of the stakeholders.
In his welcome remarks and first address to the House as the Minority leader, Dr. Ato Forson expressed appreciation to his predecessor Haruna Iddrisu for his many years of distinguished public service and the sterling leadership of the Caucus since 2017.
He pledged to continue on the admirable path chattered by the former Minority leader at the helm of the Minority Caucus and live up to the very lofty standards he has laid down in its leadership.
He said, “I know for sure that I can count on his wise counsel and tap into his vast knowledge and experience in parliamentary practice and leadership going forward.
“Similar deep appreciation goes to the immediate past Deputy Minority Leader and Chief Whip, Hon James Klutse Avedzi and Hon Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed respectively. Both gentlemen have been the very backbone in which the Minority Caucus has leaned all these years.”
Dr. Ato Forson pledged to offer fair and unbiased, balanced, consultative and principled leadership in the journey to broaden the frontiers of Parliamentary oversight and hold the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to account in a manner that helps to deliver public goods.
He assured the Majority caucus that even as the Minority remains firm, resolute, and principled in its journey to discharge its oversight duties as a Caucus, it shall not be needlessly obstructionist inasmuch as whatever is under consideration is in the interest of the people of Ghana and the right process and requirements have been adhered to.
Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu welcomed the new minority leadership and expressed the hope together they can work and build Parliament.
He thanked Hon. Haruna Iddrisu for his contribution to the work of the House but expressed dissatisfaction a minority leader who has worked this hard could be accused of being cosy with the Majority caucus.
According to him, the NDC has the prerogative to reshuffle its leadership in Parliament but advised the opposition to engage more in consultation in such matters for wider acceptance.
The former leadership, he said, has contributed immensely to building Parliament as an institution and noted that Haruna almost became a part of him that led to accusation of him selling out to the ruling party.
He, however, denied such a situation and stressed the relationship he had with Haruna was a harmonious working relationship because as a Minority leader part of his duty was to facilitate government programmes and he did that with distinction.