Per a release from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Tuesday morning, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson (Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency in the Central Region), has taken over from Haruna Iddrisu as the new Minority Leader.
Some members of the NDC are however not happy with the new change; and in this regard, a group of angry supporters in the Northern Region subsequently massed up at the party’s regional office over the surprising shake-up in the party’s parliamentary leadership.
JoyNews’ Regional Correspondent, Martina Bugri reports that the supporters say the decision will not augur well for the party.
They therefore want the leadership of the party to rescind the decision or face their wrath.
Also, the Tamale Central MP, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has also criticized the change in the parliamentary leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to the aggrieved legislator, the timing of the decision by the party’s hierarchy is ‘wrong’.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen on Tuesday, the audibly displeased lawmaker explained that as far as he and other colleague NDC MPs are concerned, the current crop of parliamentary leadership have been diligent in their duties.
He, therefore, questioned the rationale for the change and criticised the party’s leadership for failing to consult the entire Minority Caucus before effecting the changes.
“The timing is completely wrong. What is the basis of changing our parliamentary leadership?”, Murtala Mohammed decried.
“They are only taking away the most experienced leaders and bringing the less experienced ones. Nobody told them we are dissatisfied with the leadership. Who told them we are unhappy with their performance?”, the disgruntled lawmaker quizzed.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, in his
explanations, says it is normal for concerned persons to share their views on the party’s change in its parliamentary leadership. This is because according to him, “opinions are like panties, anybody has theirs”.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews after the change on Tuesday, he stressed that the decision is well-conceived despite assertions from certain quarters that it is not prudent.
He said the move is part of the party’s re-organisation for the 2024 polls, therefore he has no qualms about it.
“I don’t know what is not strategic about this … But opinions are like panties. Anybody has theirs. So I guess people are free to hold their opinions”, he told Blessed Sogah during an interview.
He added that the former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddirisu is a consummate leader, while his successor, Dr Ato Forson is a finance expert, and therefore the two should not be compared.
Defending the change, he further emphasised that it will inure to the benefit of the NDC in its bid to rescue power from the ruling New Patriotic Party.
“In terms of timing, it’s in line with the way we are prosecuting the national reorganization. In terms of why, what it tells you is that the only constant thing is change. Since the environment is changing, leadership must change along with the new environment”, he said.
Touching on what informed the change in leadership, he added that towards the 2024 elections, the debates on the floor of Parliament will change to issues on the economy, infrastructure and energy, hence it is important for the NDC to put its best brains in those fields to properly argue their stance.
“We know for instance that going into election 2024, the economy is going to be the major battle ground and so many of the debates will focus on the economy. So you better put your best man in economy forward. That is what we have done. We also looked at energy. You know the petroleum and electricity challenges, so we needed to settle on Kofi Armah Buah, our former minister to be the Deputy Minority Leader".
“The other area is infrastructure; Kwame Agbodza being our man in infrastructure should play a key role. That generally is what informed the changes”, he clarified.
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