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Richard Quashigah fights minority leader imposition
In a letter, one of the party's Member of Parliament from Keta Constituency, Richard Quashigah, has expressed anger at some names being bandied about as likely front bench members of the minority in 2017.
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The NDC, which currently holds the majority bench, will move to the minority bench in 2017 after the party lost over 40 MPs in the December vote.
The strongly worded letter noted that "even before the Seventh Parliament swings into action come January 7th next year, it appears there is jostling for who makes it to the leadership of the NDC Minority in Parliament in the media; creating discomfiture in and among the elected members."
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The letter added that "Sources of information by the media are not clearly defined except for allusions being made to the Party leadership. The resort to the media by certain faceless elements in the Party to fly kites and to test public opinion among party faithful can create confusion and disorganise the incoming minority front in Parliament. I would imagine that more matured and reasoned procedures will be followed in the selection of those who make up the minority leadership in Parliament."
To this end, the MP is calling for broad consultation before any person is decided on to serve on the minority front bench.
It continues: "it will be apt, therefore for the views of the following categories of persons to be sought going forward:
- The outgoing President and leader of the NDC.
- The views of the Council of Elders, most importantly the founder or founding father of the Party depending on which terminology suits ones’ ear.
- The outgoing MPs
- Regional leaderships of the Party should be asked to interface with their elected MPs before submitting proposed names to national leadership for further deliberation.
- Above all, a dialogue with all elected MPs on the subject matter is crucially important.
- The MP believes broad consultation will create transparency and oneness of purpose as well as generating a needed working energy among the incoming minority Members of Parliament.
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He also added that the names already out in the media may create wrong perceptions "imposition of some persons on the elected members making up the minority side in Parliament; leading to pre-judgements even before the selection process starts as well as possible resentments at a time when members are expected to be a cohesive force with oneness of purpose in holding the government of the day in check."
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