Speaker and Kyei Mensah Bonsu disagree over the appointment of Asiedu Nketia in parliamentary service board

The speaker of parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin and his good friend appeared Minister for parliamentary affairs Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu appeared to have clashed again .

This time it is about the appointment of General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress to serve in Ghana’s parliamentary service board but it appears the legislator will have none of that.

A special advisory board was of the view that the appointment of an executive of a political party into parliament will amount into intrusion.

But they recognised the fact fact the speaker has the authiority in collaboration with the clerk of parliament to appoint people unto the board.

Other members of the board are the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu and Mr Abraham Osei Aidoo, who is a former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament and former Majority Leader.

But according to the Speaker, the only authority prescribed by law to appoint members of the Board allows that Asiedu Nketia be appointed as a member.

He further stated that former MP for New Juaben North, Hackman Owusu Agyeman was, some time ago, appointed a member of the Board despite being a part of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) hence “what is good for the gander is also good for the goose.”

“…I want to note that the former Parliamentary Service Board had Honorable Hackman Owusu Agyeman as a member of the board and Hackman Owusu Agyeman later became the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party. That one was no intrusion into the governance of Parliament by a member of a political party?” he quizzed.

Some legislators in the House appeared not to be in support of the Speaker’s decision while others cheered him on.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu in his submission declined to challenge the decision taken by the Speaker emphasising that he has no aim to bring the House into disrepute.

“Thou shall not tempt the Majority leader to tempt the Speaker,” the Speaker teasingly stated.

The Parliamentary Service Board makes regulations prescribing the terms and conditions of service of officers and other employees for the effective and efficient administration of the Service.

Also, the Board appoints the Clerk to Parliament and other members of staff of the Service in consultation with the Public Services Commission.