The Majority Caucus will this evening storm the Jubilee House, the seat of government to hold a crunch meeting with President Akufo-Addo and the leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) over an impending reshuffle of its parliamentary leadership.
This follows the news reports that Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the current Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, will be replaced by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, his Deputy.
Also, Frank Annoh Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri will ascend to the role of Deputy Majority Leader, thereby creating space for Habib Iddrisu, the current First Deputy Chief Whip, to assume the position of Majority Chief Whip and Patricia Appiagyei, MP for Asokwa named as the First Deputy Majority Chief Whip with the position of Second Deputy Chief Whip being offered to Alex Tetteh Djornobuah, MP for Sefwi-Akontombra.
The meeting, scheduled at 6pm today aims to address these speculations and provide clarity on the direction of the majority caucus.
It is expected to be a critical juncture where key decisions regarding parliamentary leadership will be deliberated upon.
Already there appears to be cracks in the majority front as some MPs insist on maintaining Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu touting his experience.
Ahead of the meeting, sources have confirmed that the new changes will be confirmed by the President.
Majority Presser
In relation to that, the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, who also doubles as the Bekwai MP, in what can be said to be a parliamentary revolt on Tuesday told the media “We want to assure you that we have confidence in the leadership and the status quo shall remain, we are aware that upon the nomination of one of the Deputy Whips as a minister, a replacement will be made, that replacement will be made by the caucus when weaved the opportunity and the time to consider the appropriate replacement, this is all the information we have to share”.
According to him, “The leadership of the Majority has not changed, we have not contemplated changing and we have no intention to effect any change in the leadership of the majority caucus”.
He added, “The Parliament of Ghana has adopted standing orders that place the selection and change or otherwise of leadership in the hands of the caucus and not anybody inside parliament.”
He also rubbish the claims that was an external attempt to remove Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the Majority Leader, by saying “I am not aware of such a thing, nobody has discussed that with the caucus and since nobody has the power to do that outside the caucus there may be rumours and intricacies but we in parliament are not aware of any attempt to remove anybody.”
Drama
While the press conference was ongoing, the Anyaa Sowutuom MP, Dr Dickson Adomako Kissi in a U-Turn also, said the caucus would welcome any changes after extensive stakeholder consultations between them and the leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“I am very much in support of reshuffle. I have been in support of it for close to two years. I am of the opinion that when we do reshuffle, it gives other people the opportunity to exhibit what they know and their talents,” Dr Kissi backtracked.
The alleged reshuffle in Parliament has amplified the deep cracks in the Majority Caucus, with some of the NPP MPs already shifting their allegiances to the Afenyo-Markin camp.
These MPs are said to be mainly those who won their primaries and will be making a return to the next Parliament. They argue that allowing the Effutu MP to take charge of the Caucus’ leadership at this time will afford him the expertise and experience to steer their affairs in the next Parliament.
In another brief, the MPs from the Ashanti Caucus and some MPs who lost their primaries still owe allegiance to the current Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
Meanwhile, the social media handles of the Majority caucus in Parliament have also made a Facebook post announcing the changes.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
