Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has been elected by the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) as its acting Vice Chairperson.
Representing the Africa region of the CPA, he polled 16 votes to beat his contender, Garry Brownlee of the CPA New Zealand branch, who garnered 6 votes.
The email voting held early in July was in accordance with Article 21(6) of the CPA’s constitution, which provides for the election of an acting Vice Chairperson in the absence of a substantive one.
With his victory, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, 64, has been elevated to join the upcoming Executive Committee meeting of the CPA between September 27 and 30, 2021, in Canada.
Communicating the outcome of the polls in a letter dated, August 6, 2021, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Stephen Twigg, expressed his appreciation to all members of the association who participated in the polls.
“I am delighted to confirm that Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu from the CPA Africa Region has been voted by the Executive Committee to be the CPA Acting Vice-Chairperson.
“We look forward to welcoming Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu at the upcoming Executive Committee Meeting, taking place September 27-30, 2021” Mr Brownlee said.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is a seventh uninterrupted term New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker for the Suame Constituency, in the Ashanti Region.
He entered the Second Parliament of the Fourth Republic in January, 1997, serving on various committees as ranking member, vice chairman and Chairman.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu became the Minority Leader between January 7, 2009 and January 6, 2017, when the NPP was in opposition.
Upon the party winning the 2016 General Election, he was elevated to the position of a Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs; a portfolio he has been retained when the party won the 2020 polls.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
