News:
February 12, 2021
Minister-designate for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei- Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has justified the importance of creating and maintaining the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs when he came before the Appointment Committee of Parliament on Friday, February 12, 2021.
According to him almost ninety (90) percent of businesses conducted on the floor of Parliament are Government Business, and there is the need to have a Leader of Government Business who understands government business in other to be able to persuade his or her colleagues that it is a good policy and should be supported by Parliament.
“That is why you need a Minister to be in cabinet where policy evolves, to be able to understand himself to appreciate the under pining of any policy work, so that when he or she comes to Parliament would be able to defend it well”.
He further pointed out that the West Minister system is where you have Ministers come from Parliament, and the Ghanaian hybrid is a blend of both the West Minister and presidential system.
Also in the first and second Republic of Ghana, there was a Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, under the fourth Republic, J. H. Owusu Acheampong continued as the first Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, and then Dr. Kwabena Adjei under President Kufuor.
Then President Mills and Mahama discontinued the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. But with the coming of President Nana Akufo-Addo it was brought back. He recounted this when Mahama Ayariga wanted to know if it’s necessary to have such a Ministry when the issue of independence of Parliament comes into play.
Mr. Osei-Kyei-Mensah again noted that there would be a situation where the Majority Leader might not have his party controlling the presidency, and gave an example of 2013 when the President Akufo-Addo then opposition leader took the outcome of the election to court, if he was declared the President, “the New Patriotic Party (NPP) with one hundred and twenty-two seats (122) and did not have Majority of seats, Leader of Government Business was going to be Minister of Parliamentary Affairs”.
Hence it was not always true that Majority Leader would be the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
“The Ministry is supposed to provide an interface between Parliament and the Executive and the other constitutional creatures, so that if a policy programme is coming on board it is the Ministry that is supposed to be the one to receive it from the constitutional created bodies. And provide a platform to sensitize the public about government programmes and policies”.
He again told the Committee vetting him that most often when policy issues come to the House, it is being seen as being rushed through Parliament, but if an agenda of government is known by the public their opinion would feed into it before it comes to the House and that makes it richer.
And further told the Committee that Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs’ role is not a duplication of role, there is no conflict of role as Mahama Ayariga wants to put across.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com