The new Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Effutu Constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has paid tribute to his predecessor, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for his wealth of knowledge and experience with which he navigated parliamentary proceedings.
The Effutu legislator described Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as a “big shoe” he was going to wear, acknowledged the challenge of matching his predecessor’s profound grasp of parliamentary intricacies and pledged to seek guidance from the MP for the Suame Constituency, recognising the invaluable wisdom he brought to the table.
His appointment followed Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s resignation, which was confirmed by the Speaker, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, who read a letter from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) announcing the transition in parliamentary leadership.
In his inaugural address as the new leader of the Majority side in Parliament on Friday, February 23, 2024, Mr Afenyo-Marking called upon fellow legislators to exemplify unity within the chamber and to communicate to their constituents the commitment to peaceful discourse, emphasising that “we do not fight in this chamber”.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who is also the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, resigned from his position as the Majority Leader on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. In his parting remarks, he called for bipartisan collaboration, underscoring the importance of constructive discourse in upholding democracy.
“Let us make our people understand that the essence of democracy is to discuss ideas,” he said.