NPP Men Missing•From Parliament

The conspicuous absence of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirants in Parliament came to the fore yesterday, following a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, E.T Mensah, to one of the aspirants and MP for New Juaben North, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang.

That was during the approval of the nomination of Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu as a Minister of State when most MPs, including Hon. Owusu-Agyemang, commended him for his sterling performance in the House as well as the ECOWAS Parliament.

Following Owusu-Agyemang's contribution, the Ningo-Prampram MP, on a Point of Order, wanted to know if the New Juaben North MP had abandoned his presidential campaign that was why he was in the House.

Hon. Owusu-Agyemang, who had been present in the House almost always despite his presidential ambition, told his colleagues that he felt obliged to be in the House as his status as a parliamentarian preceded his desire to president.

Hon. Owusu-Agyemang, a former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing took the opportunity to assign some reasons why MPs should be in the House even if they were running for the high office of president.

According to last Friday's Votes and Proceedings of Parliament, all the eight NPP MPs who are currently campaigning for the party's flagbearer position were absent, except Hon. Felix Owusu-Adjapong, who was marked as absent with permission.

Yesterday, Hon. Owusu-Adjapong was the only one among the presidential aspirants who was present in the House.

Earlier, members from both sides of the House commended Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu for his appreciation of parliamentary procedure and outstanding leadership qualities which had earned him his latest appointment.

The House unanimously approved the nomination of Hon. Bonsu, who received words of commendation from all the MPs who had the opportunity to contribute to the Committee's report of his appointment.

Even though the Appointments Committee of Parliament vetted Hon. Bonsu and Ms. Vicky Bright on the same day, the Committee's report read by the Minority Leader, Alban Bagbin, was silent on her position.By Sylvanus Nana Kumi & Ethel Kangberee