External Attempt To Change Majority Leadership In Parliament Not Possible Joe Wise

Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu, the first Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Bekwai, has said, he is unaware of any external attempt to reshuffle the leadership of the current Majority side of Parliament.

According to the lawmaker, the new Standing Orders of Parliament places the power to alter the leadership of both the Majority and the Minority in the hands of only the caucus and no one else outside of Parliament.

To that end, he said, no decision has been taken to alter the current leadership of the Majority.

There were reports in some media outlets that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers have changed their readership in Parliament ahead of the December 7 general elections.

Hon Joe Osei was addressing the press in Parliament on Tuesday, February 20.

"We are here to inform you that the publications that are going around are not true, it is false.

“The majority caucus has not made any changes in its leadership, the majority caucus has not contemplated making any changes to its leadership and we will tell the world and Ghana to ignore any such publication.

“We want to assure you that we have confidence in the leadership and the status quo shall remain, we are aware that upon the nomination of one of the Deputy Whips as a minister, a replacement will be made, that replacement will be made by the caucus when weaved the chance  and the time to consider the appropriate replacement, this is all the information we have to share,” he said.

He reiterated, “The leadership of the Majority has not changed, we have not contemplated changing and we have no intention to effect any alter in the leadership of the majority caucus. The Parliament of Ghana has adopted standing orders that place the selection and alter or otherwise of leadership in the hands of the caucus and not anybody inside parliament.”

Asked whether there was an external attempt to remove Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the Majority Leader Mr Joseph Osei Owusu answered: “I am not aware of such thing, nobody has discussed that with the caucus and since nobody has the power to do that outside the caucus there may be rumors and intricacies but we in parliament are not aware of any attempt to remove anybody.”Kobina Darlington/