Approval Of Three Deputy Ministers-designate Withheld
Parliament has withheld the approval of three deputy minister-designate following concerns by the minority.
The ministers include Gifty Twum Ampofo, Deputy Minister-designate for Education, Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, Deputy Minister-designate for Sanitation, and Diana Asonaba Dapaah, Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice-designate.
They were part of a list of fifteen whose nomination the House considered today.
But the latest report of the Appointments Committee was amended to exclude the three following objections by the minority.
Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markins, has attributed the exclusions to the work of Parliament that is founded on rules and procedure.
“The parliamentary jurisprudence is clear on what must be done on committee levels…so, it is not about somebody’s personal sentiments or disagreements”.
“We are hearing that a nominee has an issue with a Member of Parliament but that to me is a personal matter. We voted by consensus and so whatever concerns anybody has I’m sure that by Tuesday we will resolve it,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Appointments Committee has confirmed Charles Adu Boahen as a Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance.
In addition, 11 deputy ministers have also been approved by parliament to assist the work of substantive ministers.
All the 12 individuals were given the green light to serve in their appointed capacities after the fifth report of the Appointments Committee was tabled and approved by Parliament.
Although the Deputy Minority Spokesperson on Finance Committee, Isaac Adongo, had called for the rejection of the Mr Adu-Boahen, the latter was given the nod from the recommendation received from the committee.
Prior to appearing before the Committee, Mr Adongo had urged his colleagues in the Appointments Committee to deny Mr Adu-Boahen the ministerial privilege, explaining that Adu-Boahen had made GH₵856 million in fees on advising government lending since 2017 through his firm, Black Star Brokerage.