How Haruna Iddrisu became the first Minority Leader to be replaced since 1993

Tamale South Member of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, rose to the powerful office of Minority Leader in 2017 at the age of 46.

Six years later, the 52-year-old has been replaced by his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as its leader in the lawmaking chamber.

He has been replaced with 44-year-old Cassiel Ato Forson (Ajumako Enyan Essiam MP), who was until January 23, the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament.

Haruna was replaced along with his deputy and the Minority Chief Whip, James Klutse Avedzi (MP Ketu North) and Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka (Asawase MP), respectively.

GhanaWeb checks show that Haruna’s removal marked a historic occurrence in the annals of the Fourth Republican Parliament because he became the first Minority Leader to be removed in the middle of his term.

According to available records of the House, Haruna is the fourth Minority Leader following in the footsteps of Joseph Henry Mensah, Alban Bagbin and Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (the current Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs).

Minority Leaders since 1992

1993 – 2001 – Late JH Mensah – Under Jerry John Rawlings’ NDC government

2001 – 2009 – Alban Bagbin – Under John Agyekum Kufuor’s NPP government

2009 – 2017 – Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu – Under John Atta Mills / John Mahama NDC government

2017 – 2023 – Haruna Iddrisu – Under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government

2023 – 202… - Cassiel Ato Forson – Under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government

Why the furore after removal of Haruna’s bloc

There has been a row in and out of parliament following the replacement of Haruna, Muntaka and Avedzi. The protests have seen an estimated 70 MPs reject the changes to leadership whiles their constituents have issued threats demanding their reinstatement.

MP for Buem, Kofi Adams, who has backed the National Executives and stated that he will recognize the new leadership, explained in an interview on Citi FM (January 25) why the change has sparked protests.

"The party always decides the leadership in Parliament. What is novel about what is happening now is that, this is the first time a political party is changing its Minority Leader. That has not happened before, both for NDC and NPP.

"This is the first time we have had to change the Minority Leader and because when you are in minority, you are not in government and when you are changing such a leader, you are not moving him to anywhere so it becomes new.

"Majority Leaders have been changed and it really never created so much news out there because they are moved from that leadership to another leadership point," he stressed.

SARA/SEA