Minority crisis: It takes courage to reshuffle, says Gyampo

The political scientist at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo has commended the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its latest reshuffle in the Minority leadership in Parliament.

Gyampo said it takes courage for any political leadership to embark on such exercise.

Cassiel Ato Forson, the NDC MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, has replaced Haruna Iddrisu as the Minority Leader in Parliament, steering the 136-strong NDC group of MPs.

A statement issued by the NDC on Tuesday (24 January 2023) to announce the reshuffle said the MP for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, will now act as the deputy Minority leader.

Governs Kwame Agbodza has been appointed as the Minority Whip, with Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe Ghansah designated as the first and second deputy whips.

But the development has since sparked confusion within the party due to what the MPs describe as lack of consultation prior to the reshuffle.

Reacting to the development, Gyampo said it is now rare for political leaders to take such bold step in Ghana.

“The audacity to reshuffle astute parliamentary leaders isn’t cheap, especially in current Ghana where some appointees are almost bigger than their appointing authorities and remain untouchable even when they are non-performing assets,” he wrote on Facebook.

Call for apology

Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, a former UN senior governance advisor, has advised the national chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Asiedu Nketiah to apologise over the recent shakeup in the party’s leadership in Parliament.

Cassiel Ato Forson, the NDC MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, has replaced Haruna Iddrisu as the Minority Leader in Parliament, steering the 136-strong NDC group of MPs.

A statement issued by the NDC on Tuesday (24 January 2023) to announce the reshuffle said the MP for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, will now act as the deputy Minority leader.

Governs Kwame Agbodza has been appointed as the Minority Whip, with Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe Ghansah designated as the first and second deputy whips.

But the development has since sparked confusion within the party due to what the MPs describe as lack of consultation prior to the reshuffle.

Embarrassing situation

Reacting to the development on the Big Bulletin with Beatrice Adu on Thursday (26 January), Agyeman-Duah said the manner in which the reshuffle was done embarrassed Iddrisu.

“Haruna has led this party very well in Parliament,” he said. “He may have some faults like all of us do, but frankly, he has been an effective leader, a very strong and staunch spokesperson for the party.”

“So, if you are going to displace him, there must be a way you do that without embarrassment,” Agyeman-Duah  added. “So, I think if all these issues are true that they were not consulted, then Asiedu Nketiah needs to apologise to them as prelude to the healing process.”

Fred Dzakpata

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