During the budget approval process on November 29, 2023, a dramatic incident occurred when Majority Members of Parliament walked out of the session due to a disagreement over the Speaker’s declaration of a voice vote in favor of the budget. The ruling by Speaker Alban Bagbin sparked a demand from Minority MPs for a head count, leading to frustration among the Majority who left the chamber. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who presented the budget on November 15, 2023, claimed that the budget had been passed based on the Speaker’s declaration. However, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson disputed this, stating that the budget had not been approved in its current form and highlighting the opposition’s refusal to support it. “The NPP has been defeated in a grand style. This is the second time the NPP has run away from their own budget, second time in the history of Ghana, sensing defeat. We have got them and will get them again. The fact is that the NPP doesn’t have the numbers to approve their own budget. NDC MPs were ready to vote against the budget for a very good reason. We cannot allow this budget to go through in its current form, because the ordinary Ghanaian will suffer.” Dr Forson stated. Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also reaffirmed the Finance Minister’s comment. “You were all there you heard the speaker loud and clear, why should a speaker beat such a hasty retreat from what he has said. In this case, he said the ‘ayes’ have it. Then you have the speaker making a sudden U-turn that he didn’t add that the Is have it. He just expressed an opinion. And that’s most unfortunate. So, we think that the proper thing should be done”. “We agreed for the head count, what was he waiting for? For good about 30 minutes he was not doing anything. What kind of attitudes is this? That is why we left the chamber. Five MPs of minority are not here so all that he’s doing is to play for time to enable them to find a way into the chamber. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0256336062
Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu kicks against Ghana Card as a sole requirement for voter registration
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader has raised concern following the Electoral Commission’s (EC) proposal to use the Ghana Card for voter registration in the 2024 general elections. Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who was expressing his view, made reference to the ongoing challenges bedeviling the issuance of Ghana cards by the National Identification Authority (NIA). He stressed that the majority of eligible voters are yet to receive their cards. According to Mr. Bonsu, there is a need to ensure that every eligible Ghanaian has the card before making it a sole requirement for voter registration in 2024. “So many people don’t have the Ghana card and some of the people who have registered to get the card have not been given the card” “And given the pendency of the District Level Elections (DLE), to have tied registration to the Ghana card knowing that some of the eligible Ghanaians have not been registered to get the Ghana cards…to say that you were restricting it to the Ghana card was going to be problematic.” “If they can assure that every eligible Ghanaian will be provided with the Ghana card, then you can base the registration on the Ghana card. But if you admit that not every eligible Ghanaian has been registered or can be registered, then it becomes difficult to tie the registration solely to the Ghana card.” Majority Leader said. Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana For publication please kindly contact us on 0256336062 or Email apexnewsgh@gmail.com
“We should all be thankful to God Almighty, be thankful to our colleagues–Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu Majority Leader has expressed his appreciation to the Minority Caucus for not being loud and disruptive in parliament during the passage of the e-levy after Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta moved the motion on Tuesday, 29 March 2022. Mr. Bonsu told the media at a press conference following the passage of the 1.5 per cent levy by a certificate of urgency that even though the opposite side later staged a walkout, they did not obstruct the process. “We should all be thankful to God Almighty, be thankful to our colleagues – the NPP Members of Parliament – and, I will say, to the extent that our colleagues NDC MPs were not raucous; they were in attendance and no such infractions came, I think we should also be thankful to them that we had a smooth conduct of business in the house and we are moving the agenda of national development forward”. “No, it was not a surprise because you were here last Friday when the business statement came to be presented and the house was informed that bills may be presented and this e-levy is a bill that was presented”. “And, don’t forget, this bill is not a new bill that is being introduced, it has been with us since December last year”, he pointed. Asked when the bill will be presented to President Nana Akufo-Addo for his approval, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs replied: “As soon as possible; as soon as practicable”. However, Mr. Bonsu denied any quorum issue. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Majority leader unable to mobilize all his 137 plus 1 MPs– Prof. Gyampo fires in an Open letter
Prof. Ransford Gyampo, in an open letter, has told the majority leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu that his side is facing challenges in parliament because he has failed to mobilize all his 137 plus 1 MPs to give a simple majority support for the e-levy proposal. According to Prof. Gyampo, “If all 137 plus 1 MPs vote while Speaker Bagbin sits, the e-levy, regardless of the public outcry against it, will pass by a simple majority decision. If you cannot mobilize all your members to support the e-levy, the next strategy will be to court the support of a few members of the NDC, like the NDC successfully did in getting Bagbin elected as Speaker. But this one too, you haven’t been able to do”. Read full letter below: An Open Letter to Hon Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu Dear Sir, I listened to your interview on Joy News where you alleged that I am a die-hard NDC man, simply bcos I asked that you be replaced with a new leader who knows the tact and skill of building consensus to aid government business in Ghana’s Hung Parliament regime. I am responding, not because being tagged NDC or NPP is criminal. I am doing so because you peddled a falsehood. Sir, you claimed I haven’t criticized the NDC before. But I want to assume you have either forgotten or you were not in Ghana when the NDC was in power, and cannot also do a simple search of my comments against the Mills/Mahama regime. I therefore forgive you. I asked that you be replaced as majority leader, not out of malice but just to help your government maneuver and meander its way in governing even in the wake of the difficulties likely to be imposed by the kind of parliament we currently have. Sir, in an attempt to pass the e-levy, you have been unable to mobilize all your 137 plus 1 MPs to give a simple majority support for the proposal. If all 137 plus 1 MPs vote while Speaker Bagbin sits, the e-levy, regardless of the public outcry against it, will pass by a simple majority decision. If you cannot mobilize all your members to support the e-levy, the next strategy will be to court the support of a few members of the NDC, like the NDC successfully did in getting Bagbin elected as Speaker. But this one too, you haven’t been able to do. I sincerely believe that the current parliament has no room for political hawks in its leadership and that, there are some moderate NPP MPs who can lead in parliament to build bridges and whose utterances wont be repulsive to genuine efforts at building consensus. That’s why I asked and I am still asking for your reshuffle. If this makes me an NDC man, well, the good people of Ghana are better judges. But respectfully, you cannot continue to lead with the same hawkish tendencies when clearly the current composition of parliament makes the need to change leadership a categorical imperative. Without changes, government business will suffer and the effect will be more felt by we the ordinary people. Finally, Sir, please note that the job of a Political Scientist is to scrutinize existing regimes that wield the fiduciary trust of the people with a view to subjecting them to strict proofs and keeping them on their toes. That’s why we offer constructive criticisms against only those in power. These criticisms are without malice and never aimed at making regimes unpopular. The practice of associating yourself with criticisms of regimes from Political Scientists when you are in opposition, and tagging same people as being in bed with the opposition after you’ve won power, is disingenuous, Sir. Let me end by saying that I am not NDC and I am not NPP too. I enjoy being in the middle and I have good friends like yourself, in both parties. I thank you for your attention and God bless Yaw Gyampo A31, Prabiw PAV Ansah Street Saltpond & Suro Nipa House Kubease Larteh-Akuapim Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Majority Leader should stop fooling — NPP’s Boakye Agyarko angry over selection of NPP flagbearer by consensus comment
Former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, has taken a swipe at the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, for his recent comments on the upcoming NPP presidential election. Mr Mensah-Bonsu had recently made what is described as “unpalatable and unnecessary remarks” that the NPP shall select its next Flagbearer by “consensus”, in contravention of the NPP’s constitution. He further made an ethnocentric pronouncement on the upcoming elections within the NPP, saying it was time for a non-Akan person to lead the NPP. The Majority Leader in an interview with Accra-based Joy News said it’s unwise for the NPP to present another Akan as flagbearer for the party in 2024. “Inwardly, I know I also have the competence but is it wise for me now immediately after two Akans; Kufour had been the president, Akufo-Addo follows from the Eastern Region and there is a third Akan to follow? Doing introspection, I think it may not hold well for a party that is accused by some as being overly Akanistic party. But not everybody agrees with me. And that is the beauty of democracy,” Mr Mensah-Bonsu said. But speaking in an interview with Oman FM, Mr. Agyarko, a senior member of the NPP expresses disappointment in the Majority Leader for making such utterances, describing them as “bloody fool” and “infantile”. “Instead of ensuring that the party is deeply rooted for Ghanaians to know that we are serious people and that when we are given the mandate we do things right, we are there fooling. Why are we disturbing the party? The party has a constitution. For me normally, I will not have mentioned names but I’m disappointed with the majority leader. Are you the one to bring about this noise in the party? he said. Mr Agyarko believes such remarks should be coming from young people within the party and not the Majority Leader. He could not fathom why Mr Mensah-Bonsu who should know better as a lawmaker who wants to disrespect the Party’s Constitution apparently for parochial interest. ModernGhana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Don’t make people think we are enemies – Bagbin to Mensah-Bonsu
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has said many people are wondering whether or not the Majority Leader Osei Mensah Bonsu is his still his friend. This was after the Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu engaged in heated exchanges on the floor of the House. The Suame lawmaker had asked the speaker to be consistent with his rule regarding hose Members of Parliament who want to rise and speak should go about it. The leader of the government said “Mr Speaker, even when you were the Deputy Speaker, you were insistent that members speak from their seats to so that you will be able to identify them but I noticed that you gather steam to make that pronouncement yet as they days went on you relaxed the rules. “I will encourage you to be consistent with this so that everybody will speak from his or her seat . That should not be relaxed, I will encourage you to do that.” In a reply, the Speaker said “Honorable Majority Leader, the Business of Government is led by you in this house. You don’t lead parliament, you lead the business of the House, you lead the Majority and you lead government business.” “As to the role of the speaker you have not reached there yet, when you get there you will do so,” he stated amidst laughter from the other lawmakers.” The former MP for Nadowli Kaleo further stated that “Please you have been my very good friend for all these years until I became speaker and everybody in Ghana is doubting whether you were really my friend . I receive a lot of calls about that and I said you are my friends and you are still my friend and people are doubting it. Please don’t give credence to that doubt.” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said again that “Respectfully, I have not been your friend until you became the speaker. You and I know that we are still friends but we agree to disagree.” 3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
I’m the 3rd most-powerful person in Ghana; ‘what’s your position?’ Bagbin debates Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
Mr Alban Bagbin has told Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu that he (the Suame MP) had been his friend until he (Bagbin) became the Speaker of Parliament. “Hon. Majority Leader, your powers have not reached that. Hon. Majority Leader, resume your seat. You don’t lead Parliament. You lead the business of the House. You lead the Majority and you lead government business. As to the role of Speaker, you’ve not been there yet. When you get there, you’ll do so,” Mr Bagbin told the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday, 23 March 2021 during parliamentary business regarding a petition filed by Dr Kwabena Duffuor and Mr Prince Kofi Amoabeng to have the house investigate the collapse by the government, of their banks – uniBank and UT Bank. Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had raised issues with the Speaker’s referral of the petition laid by Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga, to a yet-to-be-composed seven-member committee for probe, since, according to the Majority Leader, the matter was already before a court. The Suame MP did not take kindly to the Speaker’s overruling of his objections, which sparked a back-and-forth between the two politicians and friends. Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu insisted the Majority Leader is the leader of the House, to which Mr Bagbin retorted: “I stated it but you’re not the leader of the Speaker. At least, I have a position in Ghana. Number three”. The Majority Leader then counters: “Number three is not in government” to which Mr Bagbin replied: “No, I didn’t say in government. I said in the country” and then asked the Suame MP: “What is your position in the country?” He also told Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu that: “You’ve been my good friend from all these years until I became Speaker”, adding: “Everybody in Ghana was doubting whether, indeed, you were really my friend”. “I’ve received a lot of calls about us and I said you’re my friend and you’re still my friend. Please don’t give credence to that,” the Speaker told Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu. Dr Duffuor, a former Governor of the Bank of Ghana and former Finance Minister; and Mr Amoabeng, founder of UT Bank, petitioned Parliament to have the licences of their banks, which were revoked in 2017 and 2018, restored. They also want Parliament to investigate the conduct of the Bank of Ghana in carrying out the revocation of the licences. Below are their reliefs: UT Bank i) Investigate the conduct of the Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Stock Exchange for the revocation of UT Bank’s licence and delisting the bank without due regard to the rules of Administrative Justice guaranteed under Article 23 of the 1992 Constitution. ii) Direct the restoration of the banking licence of UT Bank Limited by the Bank of Ghana and the remedying of the harms done the shareholders’ property rights as a result of the conduct of the Bank of Ghana. uniBank i) Investigate the conduct of the Bank of Ghana in the takeover, appointment of an Official Administrator of uniBank Ghana Limited and the circumstances surrounding the revocation of the banking licence of uniBank Ghana Limited; ii) Direct the restoration of the banking licence of uniBank Ghana Limited by the Bank of Ghana and the remedying of the harms done the shareholders’ property rights as a result of the conduct of the Bank of Ghana. Revocation of licences The Bank of Ghana (BoG) in August 2018 announced that it has revoked the licences of five banks and put them together as Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited. The banks were uniBank Ghana Limited, The Royal Bank Limited, Beige Bank Limited, Sovereign Bank Limited, and Construction Bank Limited and appointed Nii Amanor Dodoo of KPMG as the Receiver for the five banks. Prior to the amalgamation of the five banks, the Central Bank had closed down UT Bank and Capital Bank in August 2017. Reasons for closureuniBank, according to the BoG, was identified during the Asset Quality Review update in 2016 exercise to be significantly undercapitalised and beyond rehabilitation. “Shareholders, related and connected parties had taken amounts totaling GH¢3.7 billion which were neither granted through the normal credit delivery process nor reported as part of the bank’s loan portfolio. “In addition, amounts totaling GH¢1.6 billion had been granted to shareholders, related and connected parties in the form of loans and advances without due process and in breach of relevant provisions of Act 930. “Altogether, shareholders, related and connected parties of uniBank had taken out an amount of GH¢5.3 billion from the bank, constituting 75 percent of total assets of the bank,” the Central Bank explained back in 2018. On UT Bank, the Central Bank stated in a press release: “This action has become necessary due to severe impairment of their capital.” Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
The Speaker would not have the authority to reject budget– Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu
The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has stated that the Speaker of Parliament does not have the authority under the law to reject the budget. Last week, Speaker Alban Bagbin has threatened to reject the budget because there has been a cut down in the budget for the Legislative and Judicial arms of government. In an interview monitored by Apexnewsgh.com, Mr. Osei Mensah Bonsu expressed, that it would have been prudent if the Speaker of Parliament had engaged with the leadership of the House before coming out those remarks. “I think that this is not really a matter that, honestly, the Speaker should have spoken to in the plenary. I think that he should have continued the engagement. After all, I’m the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs; I’m also the Majority Leader. This is not a matter for the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry though but it is for the Majority Leader,”. “Maybe he could have sought my intervention to engage the presidency. The truth is Parliament cannot make a request which indeed and in truth may perhaps go outside what the basket of the national resources can contain. There is a reason why when we made the request, there will be this backstage consultation.” “Well, if I have to be blunt, the Speaker would not have the authority to do that but I’m saying that if there is a misunderstanding, we can resolve it without escalating the misunderstanding.” He said in an interview monitored by Apexnewsgh.com Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
You don’t tax more to help mend the economy – Manasseh Azure
Ace Broadcast Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has reacted to portions of the 2021 budget as delivered by Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on Friday, January 12, 2021. Osei-Kyei Mensah presented the budget on behalf of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta who is currently receiving medical attention in the United States. As part of the presentation, he introduced some new taxes and levies are aimed at helping to recover the economy which government says has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These levies and taxes include the COVID-19 Health Levy, Road Toll increases, Gaming Tax, Sanitation and pollution Levy(Bola Tax), 1% Increase in NHIL, 1% increase in Vat flat rate, ESLA increase, and the financial sector clean up Levy 5%. Though tax reliefs were granted for commercial vehicles as part of measures to reduce the cost of transportation and in areas like the arts and entertainment institutions, hotels, restaurants and travel and tours, many have still reacted to the move. For them, it is inappropriate to introduced taxes particularly at a time like this, when the economy is recovering from the harsh impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Minority Leader, Haruna Idrissu for instance, described the move as insensitive, whilst accusing the government of mismanaging the economy. In a tweet, Manasseh Azure also added his voice; “When the economy is shrinking and jobs are lost, you don’t tax more to “help the economy recover,” he said. Ghanaweb Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
“NDC Regional Communication Officers bounced on Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, asked him to mind his own Business
Regional Communication Officers of the Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) across the 16 regions of Ghana have sent a strong warning to the Majority leader Osei kyei Mensah Bonsu to mind his own business and exclude himself from Sammy Gyamfi and NDC issue. Sammy Gyamfi in a post on his wall after Members of the minority Appointment Committee voted for all the President Akufo-Addo ministerial nominees posted, “Comrades, the betrayal we have suffered in the hands of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, the leadership of our Parliamentary group, particularly Hon. Haruna Iddrissu and Hon. Muntaka Mubarak, and dozens of our own MPs, is what strengthens me to work hard for the great NDC to regain power.” “It’s about time we understood, that we don’t have any NDC Speaker of Parliament. No we don’t! We have a Speaker who rode on the back of the NDC into Office to pursue his own parochial agenda and nothing more. You trust them, at your own peril,” However, The Regional Communication Officers of the Party say, they appreciate the difficult moment that the Party has been confronted with in the past few days. Adding, that they believe the “horns are never heavier than the cow that is to carry them”. We have outmost confidence in our leaders at the Functional Executive Committee, The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament and our Caucus Leaders in Parliament to work under the supreme counsel of our Highly Respected Council of Elders, to find an amicable resolution to the difficulties that have come our way. Below is the full press release 12/03/2021 REGIONAL COMMUNICATION OFFICERS’ CAUCUS OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS. PRESS RELEASE RE: SAMMY GYAMFI CROSSED THE LINE, LEADERSHIP WILL MEET AND DECIDE WHAT TO DO – OSEI KYEI MENSAH We the sixteen Regional Communication Officers of the National Democratic Congress have taken note of the impotent threat issued by Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu to our erudite and peerless leader – Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi (National Communications Officer of the NDC.) The said threat, in which he gives indication that, the leadership of parliament will meet to decide on what to do with Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi , is published on Ghana Web (Thursday, 11/03/2021) and is purported to have been issued on Kumasi based Hello FM. While we deem the Suame Legislator’s outburst to be malicious, vicious and to some extend ludicrous, it sounds quite ridiculous that Hon Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu lurks around hoping to prey on the disagreement within the NDC to settle personal scores with the young brilliant lawyer. As lead voices of the legion of communicators in all the sixteen Regions, we wish to humbly notify our Revered Parliamentary Caucus, particularly the leadership of the NDC front to be wary of ‘Ahithophels ’ like the Hon. MP for Suame who in their treachery, will wish to fun into flames sparkles of fire in the NDC for their own whims and caprices. We are of the firm conviction that, the majority group leader’s disposition of crying more than the bereaved in this matter is a calculated ploy aimed at exacerbating discontent within the rank and file of the NDC. It is not out of place for one to wonder why Hon Kyei Mensah Bonsu is so much interested in resurrecting a matter that is being carefully managed by the NDC’s most respected Council of Elders and all concerned parties. The climax of our bewilderment at the Majority group leader’s outburst is in his hypocritical turn of pretending to show respect and camaraderie for the much-respected Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament. It is trite knowledge that, the night of 6th January, 2021 and early hours of 7th January, 2021 saw Hon. Kyei Mensah betray his long-standing friendship with the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, by fighting feverishly to ensure that, Rt. Hon. ASK Bagbin never ascended the throne as Speaker. Though he wielded much experience in parliamentary affairs and exuded more competence than his sole contender, Hon Kyei Mensah preferred imposing President Akufo Addo’s poodle over parliament in lieu of the Venerable Rt. Hon. ASK Bagbin. We deem his position in this matter as a face-saving charade aimed at repairing his fractured ego in the face of his party, which he couldn’t lead to win the speakership slot and also, before his age long friend whom he shamelessly back stabbed in the name of party loyalty. We wonder where he had left his voice of moral consciousness when Hon Kennedy Ohene Agyapong described him and all NPP faithful including President Akufo Addo as “FOOLISH PEOPLE”. It is thus our collective caution to him to mind his own business and learn to, remove the plank from his own eye to enable him see clearly, so that he could remove the saw dust from another man’s eye. We appreciate the difficult moment that the Party has been confronted with in the past few days. We however believe the “horns are never heavier than the cow that is to carry them”. We have outmost confidence in our leaders at the Functional Executive Committee, The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament and our Caucus Leaders in Parliament to work under the supreme counsel of our Highly Respected Council of Elders, to find an amicable resolution to the difficulties that have come our way. On this note, we humbly appeal to our rank and file and particularly, the masses of our support base to rally our unflinching support for our parliamentary Caucus as they lead the charge to hold the feet of the Akufo Addo’s regime to the fire of accountability. Thank you. Long live the NDC, Long live Ghana! …Signed… Ɔwɛnfoba Kwesi Dawood RCO- Central Reg 0246388002 Darlas Ampomah Williams RCO- Eastern Reg 0545295731 Alhaji Saeed Ahmed Tijani RCO- Upper East Reg 0244176429 Sam Jerome Kweku RCO- Western North Reg 0244043482 Puo-Ire Prosper RCO- Upper West Reg 0204852735 Alhaji Abdul- Moomin Alhassan RCO- Northern Reg 0504068549 Hon. Jerry Johnson RCO- Greater Accra Reg 0244670391 Nana Abass Nurudeen









