Reshuffle Wahala: MPs React

The reconvening of Parliament yesterday was over-shadowed by the cabinet reshuffle on Monday that saw major changes in the Majority leadership in the House. Three longest serving Members of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, Majority leader (NDC-Nadowli West), John Akologu Tia (NDC-Talensi), Deputy Majority Leader and E.T. Mensah (NDC-Ningo Prampram), Majority Chief Whip have been re-assigned to ministerial positions. The re-shuffling of the three and of the Cabinet in general triggered comments from a section of MPs. In interview with the Times at Parliament House, Ambrose Dery (NPP-Lawra Nandom) Deputy Minority Leader, lamented the absence of the three MPs, saying their experience would be greatly missed and would certainly affect the work of the House. �I will certainly miss the Majority Leader, Alban Bagbin, on the front bench of the Majority caucus,� he said. He, however, acknowledged that the NDC had the prerogative to decide who should be where and at what time. Mr Dery expressed the hope that the incoming leadership, made up of Cletus Avoka as Majority Leader and Rashid Pelpuo as his Deputy, would fill the gap being created. Mr Dery said Mr Bagbin�s absence would be most felt at this time when the leadership of the house was working to strengthen parliament as an independent arm of governance. Expressing similar sentiments, Frederick Opare-Ansah (NPP-Suhum) and Minority Chief Whip, said removing experienced Members of Parliament from the Majority bench to the Executive �would have an effect on the work of Parliament�. Mr Opare-Ansah said legislative work thrived on consensus-building which the leadership had tried to maintain in the House with the outgoing leadership. He expressed the hope that the incoming Majority leadership would follow in the same vein, adding, �if we are to have belligerent, uncooperative leadership in the House, then we will run into problems with the work of Parliament.� Welcoming the reshuffle as a normal practice in governance, John Ackah, (NDC-Suaman) said it would afford others the opportunity to build on what their predecessors had left. He said though the services of the outgoing leadership would be needed in the House, their services would equally be needed in other areas. Mr Ackah, who is the Chairman of the Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture said, Rashid Pelpuo was doing well as the Sports Ministry but the President probably thought that he could perform the same way in Parliament. Mr Mathias Puozia (NDC-Nadowli East) said although changes were necessary, it should not be so radical but should be made in a piecemeal fashion. �I think that, this will not augur well for the majority,� Mr Puozaa added. Earlier on the floor of Parliament, the Minority spokesman on Youth, Sports and Culture, Isaac Asiamah (NPP-Atwima Mponua), kicked against the reshuffle at the Sports Ministry �at this moment when the Minister is leading the Black Stars at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.� Mr Asiamah said if the Black Stars should fail to win the cup, he would blame it on the reshuffle.