Attorney General misled Parliament on election date change - Mensah-Bonsu

The Minority in Parliament has accused the Attorney General of misleading Parliament in an attempt to get the voting date for general elections changed.

The minority lawmakers voted to reject the constitutional amendment to move the voting date in Ghana from December 7 to first Monday in November.

They argued that although they wished to have the amendment taking place, they were under the impression that the changes will take effect from the next general elections in 2020.

Defending their decision to reject the bill, minority leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu said he and his colleagues deserve praise and not condemnation for their action in parliament Thursday.

“Some of us felt the principle is good but it is premature to introduce it this year, so we decided to listen to the people, infact we thought that we could do the law and let it become operational in the 2020 elections…until the Attorney General came and told us that Parliament didn’t have the authority to make a law relating to the constitution and postpone its operational date,” Mr. Mensah-Bonsu said.

But the deputy majority leader in Parliament, Alfred Agbesi in an interview with Morning Starr host Nii Arday Clegg Friday said the stance of the minority lawmakers is very deceitful.

Hon. Agbesi said the NPP has not only deceived the NDC but the entire nation.

“Sometimes a political party must take into account the interest of the nation so that you don’t hurt the nation than yourself but sometimes they think that hurting the nation than yourself is better and that is what has happened.”