Osei-Mensah replaces Kyei-Mensah at ECOWAS Parliament

Page 17, June 20,2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday approved the nomination of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwe, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, as a member of the ECOWAS Parliament.
He replaces the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who has been appointed as a minister of state.
Under Article Five of the ECOWAS Protocol, eight seats out of the total of 120 have been allotted to Ghana’s Parliament.
The replacement of Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu became necessary because Rules and Procedures of the ECOWAS Parliament stipulated that a member appointed to carry out executive functions in a member state should resign as a member.
At yesterday’s sitting, the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, moved a motion for the approval of Mr Osei-Mensah’s nomination.
He was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho.
H, however, suggested to the House to also adopt a motion to choose somebody to replace Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the leader of Ghana’s representatives in the ECOWAS Parliament.
Reacting to Mr Adjaho’s concerns, Mr Aidooh explained that by convention, the senior most representative from the Majority side was always made the leader of the delegation.
Meanwhile, the Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes yesterday deferred the motion for the second reading of the Anti-Terrorism Bill due to the absence of the Attorney-General, Mr Joe Ghartey from the House.
Although the Majority Leader, Mr Ossei Aidooh moved for the second reading of the bill, the Minority objected to his action.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho wondered why both the Attorney-General and his deputy were not in the House to defend such an important bill at its second reading stage.
He was supported by the Minority Chief Whip, Mr John Tia, who argued that although the Majority Leader, as the Leader of Government Business could move the motion, he would not be able to take full responsibility for any lapses that might occur.
Replying, Mr Ossei Aidooh stated that in all fairness, the rules of the House permitted him to move the motion, adding that “Mr Speaker, my friends from the other side of the House know that I am very competent to deal with all matters that will arise from the second reading of the bill before the House”.
The Speaker, however, ruled that the motion should be stood down.