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Minority reshuffle: We didn’t consult caucus for good reasons – Asiedu Nketia

Mr Johnson Asiedu Nke­tia, National Chairman, National Democratic Congress (NDC), says the party’s leadership did not consult the minority caucus in Parliament over the decision to change its leadership “for good reasons”.

Speaking to members of the party at a press conference in Britain, United Kingdom, on Sunday,Mr Nketia said it was not “practical” to inform the caucus beforehand, given that the deci­sion would have led to changes in their leadership.

At the press conference, which was monitored by the Gha­na News Agency, Mr Nketia said apart from the minority caucus, “everybody who needed to be consulted was consulted”.

“The only group we did not consult was the parliamenta­ry caucus and it was for good reason.

“If the exercise was going to be done after an election, then there was nobody in charge. But

 which would result in the removal of leadership, how are you going to call them and say come and help me to remove you?”

“It was not practical; so in such matters you take the decision and inform them and justify it,” he said.

Mr Nketia said the party was going to meet the parliamentary caucus yesterday to explain to them the reason for the party’s decision. But the meeting had been post­poned.

The NDC on Tuesday, January 24, made some changes to its lead­ership in Parliament.

Ranking Member of the Fi­nance Committee and Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Es­iam Constituency in the Central Region, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has replaced Tamale South MP, Haruna Iddrisu as the Minority Leader. Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle has also replaced Ketu North MP, James Klut­seAvedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu has also replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Whip.

The decision has since sparked outrage among some sections in the party, with some NDC MPs publicly opposing the move.

Mr Nketia took full responsi­bility for the decision, saying the changes were in the best interest of the party.

He told members of the party in the UK to dismiss reports that the move had divided the NDC, adding that the decision had rather “brought some new excitement on the front of NDC”.

Reacting to concerns about the timing of the move, Mr Nketia said the party should have reshuffled its parliamentary leadership in March 2021 but did not do so, due to the presidential election petition it had filed in court among other consid­erations.

“The old leadership was select­ed based on what was needed at the time and they have discharged their work creditably.

Now there are new set of emerging challenges so it is only reasonable to go for leadership that possesses the skills set that would be able to discharge the responsi­bilities that have emerged because of the changing times,” Mr Nketia said.

Meanwhile, the NDC’s Council of Elders has charged its MPs and the party’s leadership to be circum­spect and refrain from comments that could escalate the seeming divided reactions to the changes made.

This was after some minority MPs petitioned the council to in­tervene in the decision to restore calm. —GNA

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