Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has warned that his side in Parliament will resist any attempt by the President to foist his crony on Ghanaians as Chairman of the Electoral Commission.<\/p>\n
His comments come at a time when President John Dramani Mahama is under extreme pressure<\/strong><\/span><\/a> from various quarters to name a replacement for outgoing EC boss, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, only after broad consultation with key stakeholders.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”7dinbXaFQlVFYwsy75PoIBeWqLkPF294″]Officials of the President\u2019s Party, the NDC, have however dismissed calls for broader consultation in choosing the next EC Chief, arguing that the suggestions are not constitutional.<\/p>\n Speaking to Journalists in Accra, Mr. Mensah-Bonsu served notice that the Minority Group in Parliament will not sit down and watch the President name his friend as the new EC boss.<\/p>\n The Suame MP however did not reveal exactly how his side will seek redress if the President\u2019s nominee does not, in their view, represent a compromise candidate for the EC top job.<\/p>\n \u201cWe cannot allow government to put his cronies in the Electoral Commission, in NCCE even at the Statistical Service and then come out with corrupt figures and the nation bear the brunt like what is happening now?\u201dhe queried.<\/p>\n He said Parliament should ensure that the corruption in the system does not happen again.<\/p>\n \u201cThe statistical service came out with its statistics that the economy grew by 6.9 percent and the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana putting their expense together came to challenge it that it was untrue\u2026.There is a corruption in the system that Parliament should ensure it doesn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n He emphasized the need for Parliament to amend the laws to ensure that the President consults Parliament before the Chairman of the Electoral Commission is appointed.<\/p>\n \u201cNow people are talking about the Chiarman of the Electoral Commission.The President acts on the advice of the Council of State.Perhaps if we had the referral to Parliament to say that even regardless of the advice of the Council of State, if we had a simple construction to say that the President does it but he requires maybe \u00be of Parliament to approve it, the President will be forced to become more consultative and Parliament should ensure that these laws are amended.\u201d<\/p>\n Drag Media Foundation to Privileges Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n The Minority Leader also backed calls for Media Foundation for West Africa Boss, Sule Braimah, to be hauled before the Privileges Committee of Parliament over allegations he made recently that Ghanaian MPs demand unlawful payments as precondition to honor invitation to programs.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is for him to proof, let us bring him before the committee to testify\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Marian Efe Ansah\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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