We Didn’t Envisage Reduction In Our Seats In Parliament - Kyei Mensah

The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, says the the New Patriotic Party did not expect a massive erosion of its seats in Parliament. In all of its assessment, Kyei Mensah Bonsu said the worst case scenario for the party was a drop to a 150 majority from the record high of 169 seats. To have climbed down further was something we did not envisage, the Majority

Leader said. The Electoral Commission so far says the NPP has 137 parliamentary seats ahead of the National Democratic Congress which has won 136 seats with one constituency pending. In addition, there is one independent candidate who made it to Parliament. Mr. Kyei Mensah Bonsu further admitted that lack of a comprehensive Majority is going to make the work

herculean. By and large, it may have a negative impact on the conducting of business in Parliament, he added. But on the brighter side, Mr. Kyei Mensah Bonsu said the near even split in Parliament would foster better cooperation between parties. It also would mean that government would have to be much more consultative and reach out to the opposition much better we are

used to and that could deepen democracy if we allow that to happen. On the selection of a Speaker of Parliament, he said his side of the House could work with an NDC endorsed Speaker who wasn’t extremely partisan. We may have a Speaker come from opposition party who really is for the good of democratic governance, and we could live with that. But if we have a Speaker who is entrenched on his own party line, it becomes difficult to run a government.