Odododiodio Member of Parliament, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has cited frustration as the primary reason for his decision to bow out of the house.

In an interview with Citi FM on Thursday, November 16, the former Youth and Sports Minister expressed his discontent with the lack of protection for MPs by political parties, exposing them to various pressures that impede their progress.

Nii Lante Vanderpuye lamented that this frustration is a common experience for many MPs across party lines, leading to a concerning attrition rate in the House.

He emphasised that the high turnover prevents MPs from gaining the necessary experience to effectively contribute to the work of Parliament. Reflecting on respected colleagues like Dr Osei Assibey and the late Dr Akoto Osei, he highlighted the importance of time spent on research and the ability to ask pertinent questions.

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“I am leaving Parliament because I am frustrated; the [political] parties do not protect the people they have [in Parliament]. So, you are subjected to so much pressure that, after a time, you lose interest because you don’t get the sort of environment to be able to harmonize the talents and competence you have.”

“The attrition rate in Parliament is too high, and as such, people do not get the sort of experience they require to advance the work of Parliament. One of the gentlemen I admire so much since I entered that House in 2013 was Dr Osei Assibey. When I look at the work he does and how he comes out to analyze documents, I can see someone who spent time researching to be able to ask the necessary questions. The late Dr Akoto Osei was another when it came to drafting bills.”

Furthermore, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye praised the success of Speaker Bagbin, attributing it to his extensive parliamentary experience.

He noted that Bagbin's speakership exhibits qualities superior to those of speakers without prior parliamentary involvement.

In essence, Vanderpuye underscored the need for a supportive environment that enables MPs to utilize their talents and competencies for the benefit of Parliament.

“Bagbin is succeeding as a Speaker because of the lengthy experience he has had as a member of parliament. If you look at his speakership, you will see some quality that is better than what we saw of other speakers who were not members of parliament, and it is clear for us to see,” Mr Nii Lante Vanderpuye added.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye first entered Parliament in 2013 after beating the New Patriotic Party’s Victor Okaikoi in the 2012 general elections. 

He was quite confident about his chances of winning, famously stating in November 2012 that if he got less than 65% of the vote, he would concede the seat to Okaikoi.

In the end, Vanderpuye won by a smaller landslide than expected, with 45,967 votes (63%) against 26,269 (36%) for Okaikoi and 745 (1%) for Emmanuel Odoi of the Convention People’s Party.

In December 2016, he was retained as the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodio Constituency with 36,606 votes representing 57.04% against his closest contender from the New Patriotic Party, who had 26,671 votes representing 41.56%.