Speaker of Parliament should be an elected MP — Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu

Former Member of Parliament for Suame and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensa Bonsu, has called for Ghana to ensure that its Speaker of Parliament is also an elected MP.

He said the move would strengthen parliamentary oversight and ensure the Speaker remains closely connected to legislative processes.

The veteran lawmaker made these comments in an interview with Accra-based Joy News on Monday, February 16.

“Ghana’s parliament, I think, is the only one in Africa whose speaker is not a member of parliament,” Kyei Mensa-Bonsu said.

He argued that having a Speaker who is not an MP may result in detachment from the workings of Parliament, and may lead to decisions that are self-serving rather than focused on parliamentary development.

“I think the time has arrived for us to do serious introspection and have our speaker as a member of parliament, because otherwise you have speakers who will be detached from Parliament and whose purpose would be to perceive their own path,” he said.

Asked whether his proposal would not spoil his chances of becoming a Speaker of Parliament in a future NPP government, the former Majority Leader noted that the evolution and effectiveness of Parliament must be prioritized over individual opportunities.