We won’t abuse parliamentary majority – Minority Leader

The next parliament of the Fourth Republic, which will be dominated by legislators from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), will not pass legislation that will be inimical to the development of the country, Minority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu has assured.

According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) majority in the current parliament – which expires on midnight of January 6, 2017 – used its numerical superiority to force through some legislation and loan agreements vehemently opposed by their colleagues.

However, with the NPP set to form the majority in the next legislature, which will be sworn in on January 7, 2017 following its victory in the December 7 elections, during which it won more than 170 seats and its presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo emerged winner, the Minority Leader, who is also MP for Suame, said an NPP-dominated parliament would not chart the same course taken by their predecessors.

Mr Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu said in the current parliament, the majority would usually acquiesce to suggestions by the minority regarding amendments to bills before the House but would not countenance any proposals on loan agreements for parliament’s consideration, some of which he said were “not good at all” for the country.

He added that sometimes a few majority MPs voted in favour of the ratification of such deals merely to defend “government’s position”, even if they realised such a course of action was not “right”.

“That does not do the country any good and affects the nation’s finances. So…let us all put our heads together and share ideas and pick what is good from it,” the experienced lawmaker urged on the Boxing Day edition of Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM.

“We have moved from minority to majority. What we will not do is to try to be controlling… or just because we are the majority we use that to do whatever we like. That will not bring progress and development to the country.”