Minority leader commends Mahama for Dr. Kunbour’s appointment
The Minority leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has commended President John Mahama for appointing Majority leader, Dr. Benjamin Kunbour as Minister in-Charge of Government Business in Parliament to enhance the business of the house.
He noted that the absence of the Majority leaders who double as Ministers of State to conduct government business in Parliament affected their efficiency in the House.
“The leader of government business by our own rules of procedure is not a Minister cannot lay the document in the House; in other words, he cannot present the documents officially to Parliament and that is the ways that affected the Honourable Alban Bagbin when he was the Majority leader and it was passed on to the Honourable Cletus Avoka.”
He further explained that Mr. Avoka faced a specific challenge in Parliament when “Rashid Pelpuo…maintained his status as Minister of State and whenever it came to laying of documents, Cletus Avoka who was not of Ministerial rank could not lay the documents and because Rashid Pelpuo was a Minster of State and couldn’t be seen to be subverting in quote his own leader, whenever it came to laying of documents, he found a way of excusing himself from the House.”
Mr. Kyei Mensah Bonsu also mentioned that Dr. Kunbour can now attend cabinet meetings as it is essential saying, “how do you lead government business when you cannot be a participant in the proceedings at the Presidency?”
Ministers according to the Minority leader could take the Majority leader for granted when he has to work together with them on a government business because “he will not be at par with them…they will take you for granted” as he cannot express any authority over them.
President Mahama on Thursday released his second list of nominees for Ministerial positions, appointing Benjamin Kunbour as Minister of State in-charge of government business in Parliament and Emmanuel Kofi Buah as Minister for Energy, in-charge of Petroleum.
Source: Citifmonline
