Parliamentary primaries are unsustainable, scrap it – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu to parties

Majority leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has called on the leadership of political parties to consider scrapping the Parliamentary Primaries system of choosing candidates.

According to the Suame MP, the influence of money in the exercise has ensured even first time MPs are booted out.

The development he reveals has placed Ghana among the 3 countries with the highest attrition rate in the world.

Speaking during leadership engagement with the press, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu revealed that some party leaders demand cars before clearing aspirants to contest Primaries.

The minority leadership added even lands are demanded in the exercise.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs warned there is danger ahead if nothing is done about the development.

“Ghana has a high attrition rate and there is nothing to be proud about, so we should be careful. I am saying that the masters are the political parties and they are the people who should be called on to have a second look at their constitutions.

“I said we are in the league of three countries where we have a high rate of attrition in our parliament. I keep saying that there is no somebody in politics who is a father Christmas,” he added.

Mr. Mensah-Bonsu also condemned the rate of voting buying in Ghanaian politics especially during parliamentary primaries.

“We are all humans, some borrow from the banks and others mortgage their houses to do that. Let’s not pretend that we don’t know what is happening,” he added.