President of Imani Africa, Franklin Cudjoe has joined the raging debate on the shake-up in the parliamentary leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Franklin Cudjoe in a Facebook post admitted that the changes in the Minority leadership in the House present some merits and demerits adding that the onus lies with the party to find the balance and use it to its best advantage.
He praised the outgoing leaders despite their shortfalls and welcomed the elevation of the incoming Minority leaders whom he said have a huge task on their hands.
For him, “these ‘new’ made men will succeed, but they will falter too, and whose giant shoulders will they fall on in crisis moments, other than those of Hon. Iddrisu and Hon. Muntaka?”
The NDC in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, dated Monday, January 23, stated that it had decided to replace Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Other changes include Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle who has been brought in to replace Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza has also replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe-Ghansah were, however, maintained as First and Second deputy Whips respectively.
Current and past NDC MPs are divided over the development over lack of consultation. Party supporters are equally livid demanding an immediate reversal of the decision.
But the party insists, the announcement is in line with its strategy for election 2024 and will not be reversed.
Below is Franklin’s full post
I have followed the fallout from the change in Minority leadership and I must admit both sides, for and against the decision of the executive leadership of the NDC party, make compelling arguments.
In fact, I have to admit that Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, Hon. Muntaka and Hon. Avedzi have not only cleverly shepherded their colleague MPs to provide distinctively knowledgeable opposition to the government, but have also dignified their respective roles to almost being peerless.
And it was from such rarity in quality leadership that birthed the current leadership in Hon. Ato Forson, Hon. Agbodza and Hon. Buah.
These ‘new’ made men will succeed, but they will falter too, and whose giant shoulders will they fall on in crisis moments, other than those of Hon. Iddrisu and Hon. Muntaka?
And yet, Hon.Iddrisu and Hon. Muntaka are ripe for much bigger roles whose time will come with the support of the very men replacing them in Parliament and the party’s rank and file, which must not be divided.
The country needs a viable alternative to the current economic atrophy. The NDC must be worthy, but in Unity.