The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has mourned the demise of three-term NPP MP, Felix Owusu-Adjapong.
In a glowing tribute, the Suame MP described the first week of October 2023 as one that brought sorrow and tribulation to Ghana and, in particular, to the NPP. He said, amid preparations for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Annual Conference in Accra, Ghana, invitations had been extended to former Speakers of the Ghanaian Parliament and former Leaders of the House, including the late Owusu-Adjapong, who had previously served as Majority Leader.
“Speaker Alban Bagbin, the host Speaker, enquired from me whether the Speakers and leaders could make it. That was in the evening of Tuesday, 3rd October. I informed him that I had met both Professor Oquaye and Rt. Hon. Sakyi Hughes at President Kufuor’s residence and the former had confirmed he would be coming. I indicated that I had not heard from Hon. Felix Owusu Adjapong for a while but I thought he might be in good shape as he was doing very well the last time I visited. The following day, Wednesday, October 4, 2023, just the day after that conversation with Rt. Hon. Bagbin, the transition of Mr. Felix Owusu Adjapong came through. Showing the communication to the Speaker in the evening at the Conference Centre at the dinner for the conferees catapulted him from his chair,” the statement read.
Felix Owusu-Adjapong was known for his unwavering commitment to achieving results. As the Leader of Government Business, he firmly believed that elected governments had a duty to fulfil their social contracts with the people, as outlined in their manifestos. He advocated for the diligent implementation of the government’s work program, with Parliament providing effective partnerships. He believed that while the minority had the right to voice their concerns, the majority should be allowed to lead.
The current Majority Leader recounted how the late Owusu-Adjapong as a first-time MP contributed to a campaign that increased the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s total number of seats in parliament from 61 in 1997 to 103 in 2001.
“Felix Owusu-Adjapong provided the group space at his office. The group was populated by back-benchers. That meeting birthed “Mission 2000” which was the fund-raising vehicle which was used to support the orphan constituencies. Each MP adopted one orphan constituency. The upshot of it all, enter January 2021, was the dramatic overnight increase in the numbers of the NPP to 103 from 61”, the statement read.
Felix Owusu Adjapong was the MP for Akim Swedru who became the majority leader and leader of government business after the brief leadership of Papa Owusu Ankomah. He was also the first minister to be appointed to the newly created Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs under former President John Agyekum Kufour.
He served under two Speakers, Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjatey and Bagyina Sakyi Hughes.
According to Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, “Uncle Felix”, affectionately called was very instrumental in the election of Rt. Hon. Sakyi Hughes as Speaker. Mr. Adjapong was also very instrumental in fundraising where at least 20% of funds raised for NPP ensued directly from his contacts.
Felix Owusu Adjapong was one of seventeen people who contested the 2007 NPP presidential primaries to succeed President Kufour. After the abortive attempt, he was brought back into the Executive as the Minister for Energy from where he exited the Executive and Parliament on January 6, 2009, to lead a “quiet life”.
Here’s the full tribute:
TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF HON FELIX OWUSU-ADJAPONG BY OSEI KYEI-MENSAH-BONSU – MAJORITY LEADER
The first week in October 2023 has been one of anguish. The week has been full of thorns and thistles for the New Patriotic Party in particular and the nation as a whole. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the worldwide body of Parliaments in countries that in the past had come under the rule of Great Britain was to have its Annual Conference in Accra from 30th September to 6th October, 2023.
The Ghana branch had sent invitations to former Speakers of the Ghanaian Parliament as well as former Leaders of the House. Mr Felix Owusu Agyapong, a three-term Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru was a Majority Leader after the brief leadership of Papa Owusu Ankomah, and, as such, had been invited to the inaugural event.
Speaker Alban Bagbin, the host Speaker, enquired from me whether the Speakers and leaders could make it. That was in the evening of Tuesday, 3rd October. I informed him that I had met both Professor Oquaye and Rt. Hon. Sakyi Hughes at President Kufuor’s residence and the former had confirmed he would be coming. I indicated that I had not heard from Hon. Felix Owusu Adjapong for a while but I thought he might be in good shape as he was doing very well the last time I visited. The following day, Wednesday, October 4, 2023, just the day after that conversation with Rt. Hon. Bagbin, the transition of Mr. Felix Owusu Adjapong came through. Showing the communication to the Speaker in the evening at the Conference Centre at the dinner for the conferees it catapulted him from his chair.
Felix, as a Leader of the House, was one who was always looking for results. He would not allow anything to stand in his way. As the Leader of Government Business, his attitude was that a government is elected to fulfil its social contract, encapsulated in its manifesto, with the people. In that regard, the work programme of the elected administration must be duly implemented, and Parliament must provide an effective partnership. If the people, the ultimate beneficiaries, felt short-changed, they were clothed with the authority to vote out the government. In other words, in his considered view, the minority must have their say, but the Majority would have their way.
Some in the Minority group in Parliament considered Felix uncompromising, and gave him the accolade: “Great Leader”. Paradoxically, Hon. Owusu Adjapong came to love the title and signed letters with the “honour” bestowed. The surveyor and lawyer that Felix was, was thorough in his activities.
In 1997 when the NPP first entered Parliament, the number for the Parliamentary group was just 61 in the 200-member chamber. The Caucus was complemented by 4 CPP members and two PNCs which brought the Minority up to 67 denying the NDC the watershed two-thirds which would have given them an absolute majority. The conduct of activities in Parliament in those times engendered desperation especially, when the then Speaker, Justice Daniel Francis Annan insisted that because the ratio in the House was 2:1, he would, on any subject matter of debate or comment in plenary, accord the NDC two speaking turns and one for the Minority Caucus.
This compelled the NPP group to begin a frantic exercise to expand our numbers. Felix Owusu Adjapong provided the group space at his office. The group was populated by backbenchers. That meeting birthed “Mission 2000” which was the fund-raising vehicle which was used to support the orphan constituencies. Each MP adopted one orphan constituency. The upshot of it all, enter January 2021, was the dramatic overnight increase in the numbers of the NPP to 103 from 61. Felix Owusu Adjapong was very instrumental in the mobilisation of the funds: at least 20% of the funds raised ensued directly from his contacts. The resources came to be placed at the disposal of the party.
Felix served under two Speakers, Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjatey and Bagyina Sakyi Hughes, the latter of whose election he, Uncle Felix, was very instrumental in.
The Majority Leader, Leader of the House and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Hon Felix Kwasi Owusu Adjapong was one of the seventeen people who put in their hat in the party’s Presidential primaries to succeed President Kufuor. After the abortive attempt, he was brought back into the Executive as the Minister for Energy from where he exited the Executive and Parliament on January 6, 2009. Since then he has led a quiet life. There cannot be any doubt that he fought a good fight for the cause and the Party, the New Patriotic Party, that he so much believed in. Senior Felix, May your soul rest in perfect peace.
