I didn’t understand Osei Mensah Bonsu’s advice until now – Assafuah

Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old-Tafo Constituency in the Ashanti Region, has opened up about his recent electoral victory, revealing a mixture of emotions regarding his success and the broader outcomes of the parliamentary elections.

While Assafuah is pleased to have retained his seat, he expressed sorrow over the significant losses suffered by his colleagues from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who will not be joining him in the 9th Parliament, which reconvenes on January 8, 2025.

In an interview with Bonohene Baffour Awuah on Asaase Radio monitored by MyNewsGH, Assafuah reflected on the NPP’s performance in the elections, noting that while his personal success was gratifying, the party’s overall performance should serve as a wake-up call.

“I am pleased to retain my seat, but I am also deeply saddened by the losses my colleagues have suffered. We are now entering Parliament with fewer voices from our party,” Assafuah said. “This is a moment of introspection for the NPP. We must take the lessons from this election seriously.”

Assafuah, who has served as an MP for Old-Tafo for several terms, also recalled advice given to him early in his parliamentary career by the former Majority Leader, Osei Mensah Bonsu.

Bonsu had stressed the importance of retaining the same MPs to ensure consistency and long-term planning in governance. Initially, Assafuah had viewed this perspective as selfish, but his experiences in Parliament have reshaped his understanding.

“I remember when Osei Mensah Bonsu spoke about the need for consistency in Parliament. I thought it was just for his benefit, but over time, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of that consistency,” Assafuah shared.

“When MPs come and go too quickly, it disrupts continuity, and we lose the ability to build on long-term plans and projects.”

He emphasized that a key lesson for the NPP moving forward is that consistency in leadership and representation is critical. Assafuah firmly believes that MPs need time in office to properly fulfill their mandates to their constituents.

“It’s essential for MPs to stay in power long enough to make real change. Without that consistency, it’s difficult to build the kind of infrastructure and policy initiatives that can truly transform communities,” he said.

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