Dzirasah heads delegation to ECOWAS Parliament

The second DeputySpeaker of Parliament, Mr. Ken Dzirasah, has been elected head of Ghana?s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament.

Four out of the six representatives from Ghana voted for him to replace Mr. Kyei Mensah Bonsu in an election held last month in Abuja.

In an interview in Accra, Mr. Dzirasah told The Chronicle that it is the regulation of the sub-regional House that every year, delegates shall either be endorsed or bring fresh nomination to the representative of the Bureau, which is the highest decision-making body of the house.

He said based on that, they met and he was elected. Mr. Dzirasah confirmed rumours that Mr. Mensah Bonsu was dropped on the basis of passing bad comments on Madam Hawa Yakubu on the floor.

He explained that after his election, a report was submitted to the speaker of the House, and Mr. Mensah Bonsu said that Hon Hawa Yakubu?s loyalty to her party was doubtful because she had thrown her weight behind him.

?I?m not mincing words at all that on the floor at the plenary, when the outcome of report on our election became a contention Hon. Kyei Mensah Bonsu said that, ?Hawa your loyalty to the party is doubtful?. Mr. Dzirasah said Mr. Mensah Bonsu?s comments were in passing and the speaker did not interrupt.?

When this paper spoke to Hon. Kyei Mensah Bonsu, who headed the delegation for about one-and half years, he said, he was served with notice that he was needed in Abuja concerning the endorsement of a new nominee but he could not meet the deadline.

He maintained that Madam Hawa Yakubu had earlier opted for rotation of the position as one of the methods required by the house for electing heads of delegations by various countries. This, he feared would give the opposition a chance to grab it.

?I mean we are in politics, so if your own party member said that it should be rotated it shows that it should go to an opposition member, what do you think?? He asked.

Mr. Mensah Bonsu said looking at the way Madam Hawa Yakubu had aligned herself with delegates from the minority NDC side and had posed as their spokeswoman, he decided not vote at all.

However, he denied the allegation that he passed the comment that Madam Hawa Yukubu?s loyalty for her party was doubtful on the floor.

Madam Hawa Yakubu who is also the chairman of the Transport and Communication Committee of the ECOWAS Parliament told The Chronicle that when it was due for a new election, the members of the Ghanaian delegation did not see Mr. Mensah Bonsu as a leader because they did not like his style of leadership.

She noted that at the international level, partisan politics does not matter; the most important thing is for them to work as a team, irrespective of their differences. Madam Hawa Yakubu said although she is very loyal and committed to her party, she does that with a human face.

She explained that the former leader has insulted her on so many occasions and that after the elections he said she was a gossip because everyone around knew her.