Reforms to enable parliament question the president on his promises urged

Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu

Minority leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu is pushing for reforms of the standing orders of parliament to enable the house question the president on the fulfillment of promises he has made to Ghanaians.

According to Mr Mensah Bonsu, the president must be held accountable for the assurances he has given to the people.

Parliament's Committee on Government Assurance will soon start a public hearing to interrogate ministers of state on their promises.

The committee, whose mandate is to ensure that government lives up to expectation, believes the exercise will enhance accountability and democracy.

But the minority leader said the president must also be interrogated because he is the chief minister and his assurances are expressed in the nation's budget.

Stressing further the need for the house to ensure that the Committee on Government Assurance is empowered to extend its hearing to the president, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu insisted that the president must explain how he has been working to ensure his promises to Ghanaians are fulfilled.

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“The president makes assurances, how is he to be held accountable for it?

“…How do we as a nation, as a parliament oversee that we could have maybe a close sitting, invite his [president's] representative – maybe asking even the chief of staff [to explain what the president is doing to actualize his promises]," the minority leader reasoned.