The Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper, Ben Ephson, says former President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) National Chairman, Johnson Aseidu Nketia, orchestrated shakeup in the leadership of the Minority Caucus in Parliament.
This comes on the back of the opposition NDC making changes to its leadership in Parliament with the appointment of Dr Cassiel Ato Forson as the new Minority Leader.
The former Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam replaces Hon. Haruna Iddrisu.
Dr Forson is to be assisted by MP for Ellembele, Kofi Armah Buah who has been appointed as the Deputy Minority Leader.
Speaking in an interview on Starr News, on Tuesday January 24, 2023 the pollster indicated that the reasons provided by the party do not justify their actions.
“I think that it is the working of former President John Mahama and Aseidu Nketia and I am going to wonder how the Minority Caucus is going to be. I suspect politically Mr Aseidu Nketia and John Mahama’s handiwork. Are they saying that before 2020 these economic issues were not there?
“No, I don’t think so, you see when you give this reason. You are creating the impression that before 2020 and even before these changes Haruna and the leadership have not acquainted themselves well enough in dealing with these issues? Or is it an issue of trying to have total control over Minority or Majority issues in parliament?” Mr Ephson quizzed.
He continued: “When you say there are going to be economic issues in 2024, can’t Ato Forson advise Haruna on the way forward. Or they think that Haruna cannot be nodding at everything they say because economic issues have been in the forefront in the run up issues in 2020 elections.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the opposition NDC, Mr Nketia has said the change of leadership of the Minority Caucus in Parliament is part of the party’s reorganisation process.
According to him, there are key areas Parliament will center its debates on ahead of the 2024 election which has informed the eventual changes in the leadership of the Minority.
“It is the continuation of our re-organization exercise to reposition the party for the 2024 elections. So, it’s the continuation of the process which was started a year earlier from branches through to constituency to regional and national. We’ve now come to the reorganization on the form in parliament.
“The thinking is that going into 2024 the debate is going to be principally on the economy and so we need to put our best foot forward so we can match the NPP in that area. That’s why we chose Ato Forson to lead the charge as Minority leader and then Armah Kofi Boah our expert in energy which is also going to feature prominently and then Kwame Agbodza is our person on infrastructure,” he told Starr FM Midday News.
Asiedu Nketia explains change in NDC’s parliamentary leadership