The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso, Dr Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, says the timing of the ministerial reshuffle is unfortunate since those who stand tall on the majority side of parliament have been snatched into the executive. He said the departure of Majority Leader Alban Bagbin, Majority Chief Whip E.T. Mensah and Deputy Majority Leader John Tia) from parliament creates a big loophole in parliament and that those who are going to step in their shoes are going have a very tough time to match up to “these very experienced and hardworking gentlemen.” The three MPs were affected by the ministerial reshuffle announced by government on Monday. Hon Alban Bagbin has been assigned to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Hon John Tia to the Information Ministry while Hon E.T. Mensah goes to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare. Dr Owusu Afriyie, who was speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on Tuesday, noted that it is funny that government should snatch into the executive one of the stalwarts on the majority side of parliament (Hon Bagbin) who is most qualified to contribute to the review of the constitution. On the contrary, Deputy Science and Environment Minister Dr Omane Boamah, who was a co-panelist on the programme noted that from his own point of view, those who would be appointed to replace the three MPs in parliament would even perform better. “I have no had the opportunity to listen and observe Hon Cletus Avoka chair certain meetings …I have no doubt in my mind that if lets say he turns out to be the leader of government business in parliament, he will be able to even do far better than Hon Alban Bagbin has done,” the deputy minister claimed. He added, however that “I also think that if lets say Hon Rashid Pelpuo is also given a similar role, with his amiable and affable nature, he will be able to build consensus and draw the other side of the house to buy into ideas and programmes of the government.” Meanwhile, some analysts have criticized the appointments of Hon Bagbin and E.T. Mensah, saying that taking the experienced people who can strongly criticize the government’s decisions out of parliament would mean having a strong executive as against a weak legislature. By: Dorcas Efe Mensah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana