Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Member of Parliament for Suame Constituency, has clarified why key figures from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were absent from the unveiling of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, as the party's running mate in Kumasi.
Speaking in a recent interview shared on YouTube, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu explained that his absence, along with that of the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum; and the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, popularly known as Joe Wise, was due to engagements related to their parliamentary and party duties.
He revealed that the NPP flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, assigned him to draft and prepare the party's manifesto ahead of the 2024 elections.
According to him, his responsibility as head of the manifesto committee required intensive work sessions, including a meeting the day before the unveiling ceremony.
"The work that the vice president tasked me with as the manifesto committee head required me to work with the team to draft the report for him. We worked on Monday, the day before the unveiling.
"We had other discussions that we needed to include in the manifesto, so we had to stay and work on those things because Bawumia needed such information for his regional tours a few days after the event.
"I had already informed my younger brother, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, about why I couldn't go," he said.
He further asserted that Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, was also engaged in parliamentary duties.
Mensah-Bonsu noted that Adutwum's presence in parliament was crucial for the consideration of the National Service Authority Bill, in which he was the sponsoring minister.
"I was in the office working during the time my younger brother NAPO was being unveiled. I was in the office working when they called from parliament, asking me to come help with the National Service Authority bill.
"So, I went to parliament and met former mayor Osei Assibey, who is the chief executive at the National Service Secretariat. He told me they had a problem with the bill, and Hon. Osei Owusu had told him to call me to come and help.
"The sponsoring minister for the national service is Adutwum, so, he was also supposed to be in parliament as the Minister of Education. Bagbin was also occupied with other matters, so he had summoned Osei Owusu to sit in for the proceedings. When I arrived, I realized Osei Owusu was the one presiding," he asserted.
According to him, Joseph Osei Owusu, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for the Bekwai Constituency, was similarly occupied with parliamentary proceedings.
"We sat and worked on the bill, and even when I wanted to visit the washroom, Osei Assibey thought I was running away and had to follow me.
"Adutwum had to be there because of the national service bill, and Osei Owusu was also presiding that day, which is why he couldn't go. I haven't asked them yet, but based on what I saw, this is why I am saying this," he added.
TWI NEWS
NAPO was unveiled as the running mate of Dr Bawumia on June 9, 2024, in Kumasi.
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