Minority Leader: Must politicians unite only in times of grief?

The Speaker of Parliament, Joyce Bamford Addo in a handshake with Mrs Konadu Rawlings, while other members of the delegation, including the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (in a hat) look on. The moment of grief is what has brought some of us here. This is my first time of entering this house. It is not a good occasion without doubt and moments of grief should not be the only moments where as a political class we should be meeting. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader of Parliament Minority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on Tuesday found himself in the gutted residence of former President Jerry John Rawlings and family at Ridge in Accra, and regretted the circumstances of his first ever visit was not a pleasant one. He had gone to the house of the man he is politically opposed to in idealogy to commiserate with him and his family for their loss after fire reduced their residence and property to ashes on Sunday, but said he had wished a happier occasion than grief should have engendered the visit. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was part of the leadership of parliament who paid a courtesy call on the former first couple. “The moment of grief is what has brought some of us here. This is my first time of entering this house. It is not a good occasion without doubt and moments of grief should not be the only moments where as a political class we should be meeting. “Moments of happiness we should have confined space and time to meet, if for nothing, to detonate the pressures and tensions that build up and bring them under control. This nation needs that. “For now we express our profound gratitude to God that your lives are secured and safe,” he consoled the Rawlingses. The head of the delegation and Speaker of the House, Joyce Bamford Addo said the news of the fire disaster came as a shock to everybody. She said however that seeing the family happy and safe brought lots of joy to the delegation. They presented a card signed by all 230 members of parliament to convey their sympathies to the ex-first family. Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings on behalf of the family also expressed her gratitude to the leadership of the house for their concern. She hinted that the family would prefer a restoration of the burnt edifice rather than the government providing a new location as residence for them. Indeed moments of grief have served largely to bring Ghana's opposed politicians together and to remind them they are one people, such as was seen on the deaths of former Finance Minister, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Octageneraian politicain Dan Lartey of the GCPP, New Patriotic Party stalwart and legal luminary Peter Ala Adjetey, and former speaker of parliament, Justice D.F. Annan. On other occasions when they have met, such as on the political battlefied campaigning for votes, or vetting opposed colleagues, or voting on pertinent business decisions, the language and discourse have usually been bitter-tempered. Story by Nathan Gadugah based on a report filed by Joy News’ correspondent Sammy Darko