‘We are not enemies, I criticise to reform’ – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on ‘rift’ with Bagbin

Alban Bagbin emerges Speaker of 8th Parliament

Bagbin routinely clashes with Majority Leader Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Minority vow to defend Bagbin against attacks by Majority side

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has spoken about his relationship with Speaker Alban Bagbin.

Contrary to reports that their relationship has soured since Bagbin became Speaker, the Suame MP says their disagreements are purely professional and that the Speaker also expresses misgivings with his actions as and when.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu in an interview as part of a documentary on Ghana’s Hung Parliament explained that he criticised Bagbin strictly with the view of helping reform processes in the House.

“I disagree with him (Bagbin) on some of the things that he has done recently or has been doing, but it doesn’t mean that we are enemies but I think that I will consider that he is not being fair.

“But to say that he is partisan, I don’t want to go into that but occasionally I will tell him my disagreement. You know, when we go into pre-sitting meetings, he will make a point and I will tell him I disagree with this… or I don’t agree with you on this matter.

“As far as I am concerned, I criticize to reform. If you take it fair and fine. The Speaker may also disagree with me on something that I said or may not do that he will think that I ought to have done that I didn’t do, is he an enemy? No,” he stressed.

For his part, Mohammed Muntaka-Mubarak, the MP for Asawase and Minority Chief Whip, spoke about how behind-the-scene meetings have ended in agreements for Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu to desist from publicly attacking Bagbin but after each agreement, he reneges.

He alleged that in one instance, the Majority Leader held a press conference to lash out at Bagbin after one such meeting.

Muntaka avers that to the extent that the Speaker cannot hold a press conference to explain his side of allegations made against him, it was the duty of the Majority Leader as leader of the House to stick to that role and allow other MPs to publicly criticize the Speaker.