MP Speaks On NDC Deal

Haruna H. Bayirga THE PEOPLE'S National Convention (PNC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala West, Haruna H. Bayirga has stated that the decision of the PNC to collaborate with the governing party in Parliament is to protect the unity of the party and the country.

The Sissala West MP and his colleague from Builsa South, Hon. Azong Alhassan have been collaborating with the Majority National Democratic Congress (NDC) side in Parliament since the beginning of the current Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

Hon. Bayirga and some associates of the PNC had initially declared their intention to join and do business with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as had been the case since 2001, affirming that this was based on certain strong principles and ideology.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, Hon. Bayirga explained that the leadership of his party had told him in unambiguous terms that he was not in Parliament on his own but on the ticket of the PNC and therefore the interest of the party and the nation must be his ultimate consideration.

This paper had gathered that he had in fact been prevailed upon to abandon his initial intentions in the interest of the party and the collective desire of the leadership of the PNC to do business with the ruling NDC in what political analysts have described as a hung Parliament.

The Sissala West MP who is representing his people for the second term running noted, “I have done so much for my constituents and if you are looking for MPs who have performed creditably I can confidently say I am one of them,” adding that his people have so much confidence and trust in him and he will not want to lose the respect of the people.  

According to him, he would have to go back home and explain to his constituents why he is now sitting and doing business with the NDC in Parliament although he campaigned vigorously against the ruling party during last year's general elections, noting that it is important for people to fully understand the apparent shift in direction.

“I believe that this current Parliament is almost evenly balanced and it is not in the interest of the country to have an opposition party with Parliamentary majority as our democracy is not fully developed for people to deliberate and vote on issues that would move the nation forward devoid of partisan consideration,” Hon. Bayirga noted, saying this might have been one of the reasons that informed his party's decision to collaborate with the governing party in Parliament.

DAILY GUIDE had earlier reported that the Majority Leader and NDC MP for Nadowli West, Alban S.K. Bagbin had reportedly told the BBC that his party had written to the PNC for their MPs to join the side of the ruling party in Parliament and in return get ministerial positions.

An offer, according to Hon. Bagbin, the PNC had accepted, giving the NDC a majority of 117 members in the 230-member Parliament with two, Asutifi South and Akwatia constituency, yet to be decided.

Indeed, this paper has learnt that PNC has been promised three ministerial portfolios and five District Chief Executive (DCE) positions as part of the collaborative deal.

So far, only the MP for Builsa South, Hon. Azong Alhassan has been nominated by President John Evans Atta Mills as a Minister at the Presidency and it yet to been seen whether the NDC will fully fulfil the pledges of the mutual agreement with the PNC.

By Awudu Mahama