Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has expressed deep concern over the exit of experienced lawmakers from both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said the situation is not healthy for Ghana's democracy.
Some seasoned legislators refused to seek re-election while others were kicked out in their respective party primaries.
During the NPP's primaries, a total of 28 MPs lost their bid to return to Parliament.
Before the primaries, 18 NPP legislators, including Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, voluntarily decided not to contest in the upcoming elections, further depleting the pool of experienced lawmakers.
On the NDC side, 16 incumbent legislators also lost their parliamentary bids in May 2023, adding to the overall exit of experienced hands from the legislative process.
In an interview on GTV, monitored by ModernGhana News, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu emphasized the need for political parties, especially the NPP and NDC, to address the concerning trend of the continuous departure of seasoned MPs.
"I am worried about the NPP, and I am worried about the Parliament of Ghana, and I am worried about our democracy.
“The longer a person stays in Parliament, the better the performance of that person. It is for him, it is for his party, it is for Parliament, and it is for our democracy," expressed the Majority Leader.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu called for a thorough examination of the reasons behind the constant departure of experienced legislators, urging political parties to reflect on the implications for governance and the overall democratic process in Ghana.
The Majority Leader further condemned incidents of vote-buying that marred the NPP's parliamentary primaries, highlighting the need for transparent and fair internal party processes to ensure the selection of competent and dedicated individuals to represent the interests of the public in Parliament.
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