Mahama must invite Kunbuor to cabinet meetings – Kosi Kedem

A former NDC Member of Parliament for the Hohoe-South Constituency of the Volta Region, Mr. Kosi Kedem, has supported the Minority Leader's call on President John Mahama to make the Majority Leader of Parliament a member of Cabinet.

Mr. Kedem said it was wrong for the government to exclude the Leader of Government Business, Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor, from cabinet meetings.

Dr. Kunbuor on Friday told the House he will not push through any government business which falls short of proper due diligence.

He stated that as non-Cabinet member he was not privy to the reasoning that attended upon some government decisions. That, he said, has hampered his “capacity to do specific follow-up to the various MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies)” to ensure government business was properly conducted.

Speaking on the Super Morning Show of Joy FM, Wednesday June 12, 2013, Mr. Kosi Kedem said even though it is not critical for the Majority Leader to be a member of cabinet, he should be invited to attend cabinet meetings to give him an idea of government's agenda in order to properly spearhead discussions on government business brought before Parliament.

“It is not crucial for him to be a cabinet member, but he should be in attendance of cabinet meetings so he can handle government business in Parliament…It is fair that he should have an idea about government business,” Mr. Kedem stated.

But the Minority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu who originally mooted the idea for Dr Kunbuor to be granted Cabinet status, disagreed with Mr. Kedem.

He insisted that, “the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs is a member of government so if he cannot be a member of cabinet then he cannot lead any business in Parliament."

Mr. Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu said the Leader of Government Business “must command respect within the ranks of cabinet ministers…If he is below them, he cannot demand discipline among junior members in the government."