Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has opened up about the challenges he faced in trying to balance his former parliamentary leadership role with increasing responsibilities outside the legislature.

Speaking in an interview on PM Express on October 28, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs shared insights into the decisions behind his resignation as Majority Leader, explaining how new commitments within both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) necessitated the change.

“Let me say that it was going to be difficult to combine the position of Majority Leader with the new role that had been bestowed on me as the chairman of the manifesto committee,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated.

He highlighted the pivotal role he played in crafting the NPP’s vision.

The dual responsibility of parliamentary leadership and manifesto development ultimately led to the decision, which Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu shared had the support of the highest levels of the NPP.

“The President, together with the Vice President and the presidential candidate of the NPP, had agreed that I should lead the crafting of the manifesto,” he explained.

He added, “It was going to be a difficult job combining the two.”

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu didn’t slow down after stepping down as Majority Leader.

“Immediately after the exit, I plunged into the crafting of the manifesto,” he said, detailing his deep involvement in organising and collaborating with sectoral experts to finalise the party’s campaign promises.

The culmination of this effort came with the manifesto’s launch in Takoradi, which he proudly led.

Following the manifesto work, Mensah Bonsu engaged in campaign activities to support the NPP but was soon called upon by the CPA to take on an essential role.

“The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is in dire need of some services,” he explained, saying he was tasked with working on critical constitutional amendments for the association’s Africa region.

His work with the CPA led him to the Africa Regional Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting in Tanzania, where he presented proposed amendments and gained strong support from member states.

“I had to go and explain matters out to them… to elicit their buy-in,” he recalled. “I think they applauded the efforts.”

The CPA’s International Secretariat, alongside its Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, sought Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s input to finalise constitutional reforms, which are slated for a global meeting in Sydney, Australia.

He expressed satisfaction with his contributions, saying, “They wanted to know my own perspectives, which I’ve shared with them. And so, that is where we are.”

The former Majority Leader’s commitments did not end there; he was also asked to represent Ghana’s Parliament at the World Assembly of Parliaments, known as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Initially set to attend with the Speaker of Parliament, Mensah Bonsu had to assume additional responsibilities when the Speaker withdrew.

“The Speaker pulled out at the last minute and requested that I go and hold the fort for him,” he shared.

“Given what I myself was required to do, I had to combine his own duties with mine and do two presentations there for the Parliament of Ghana.”