Former Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, has called for a clear separation between parliamentary service and ministerial appointments, saying the current system undermines the development of Parliament.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Joy News on the AM show, Bonsu expressed concern that many MPs view Parliament primarily as a stepping stone to ministerial positions.

“Many people are coming to Parliament now to use Parliament as a springboard to be made ministers. If he’s not made a minister, more or less, he withdraws from Parliament. And it’s not good for the evolution and development of Parliament,” he said.

Bonsu argued that ministerial appointments should be based on professional competence rather than political convenience. He said rotating ministers across sectors without regard for their expertise affects policy formulation and implementation.

“You appoint a minister to a sector, interrogate that person for his proficiency in that field, and then one year later, he’s shuffled out and taken to another sector. Nobody knows his proficiency in agriculture, for instance. We are inflicting this on ourselves,” he added.

The former majority leader suggested that detaching ministerial positions from parliamentary membership would allow MPs to focus fully on legislative duties while ensuring ministers are appointed based on technical knowledge and suitability for their sectors.