The absence of the Minority Caucus at Friday’s vetting session paved the way for a swift process, allowing 10 ministerial nominees to be vetted in just under four hours.
The dramatic turn of events followed the vetting of Foreign Affairs Minister-nominee Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, which ended in controversy after a heated disagreement prompted the minority to stage a walkout.
Speaker Alban Bagbin had issued a directive to reconstitute the Appointments Committee, which saw four committee members dismissed after chaotic scenes in Parliament the night before.
Mr. Bagbin called for an urgent meeting with the Majority and Minority leaders to have nominations for the new-look committee.
Consequently, Minority Leader and Ranking Member on the Appointments Committee, Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, argued midway into the vetting of Mr. Ablakwa that the Speaker’s directive should halt proceedings until a new committee was unveiled.
His suggestion implied a suspension of Mr. Ablakwa’s vetting and adjournment to another day, even though the ccommittee members had exhausted over 90% of questions directed at the nominee.
Members of the minority side, who had three of the MPs suspended, also cited concerns over quorum.
However, National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs, led by Mahama Ayariga, dismissed the concerns and insisted the vetting continue because the absence of the suspended MPs would not flout the laid down procedures for a quorum.
Additionally, Mr. Ayariga stated that the absence of the entire Minority side from the committee would leave four members from the Majority side present, sufficient to satisfy quorum conditions to conduct business.
Mr. Ayariga added that the Speaker of Parliament did not issue a directive for the suspension of the vetting process hence the session should not be truncated.
After a back-and-forth, Committee Chairman Bernard Ahiafor backed the NDC MPs, stating that all conditions had been satisfied for the vetting to continue.
He added that the meeting with the Speaker of Parliament had been scheduled for Monday, February 3, hence there was no need to end Mr Ablakwa’s vetting abruptly or suspend the entire vetting session.
Consequently, Mr Afenyo-Markin said he wanted to recuse himself from the committee meeting in order not to violate the Speaker’s directive.
In response, the chairman of the committee stated that the Minority was free to do so.
He further expressed strong reasons why the session should continue in view of updated information that the meeting with the Speaker would not be held that day.
Taking offence, Mr Afenyo-Markin demanded a retraction, but Mr Ahiafor stood firm, indicating that his words were not insulting but were phrases used in the day-to-day activities in Parliament.
This led to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus walking out, leaving only the Majority members to continue the vetting process.
With no opposition scrutiny, the remaining nominees breezed through in record time.
While it took nearly an entire day to vet Health Minister-designate Mintah Akandoh and Ablakwa, the remaining nominees, including Joseph Nelson (Western Regional Minister-designate) and Joseph Addae Akwaboa (Bono Region Minister-designate), were vetted at an unprecedented pace.
Also appearing before the committee were Francis Owusu Antwi (Bono East), Puozuing Charles Lwanga (Upper West), and Edumoah Ekow Panyin Okyere (Central Region).
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of State-nominee for Government Communications, had a lengthy session compared to the others after Mr Ablakwa, though still brief.
With all 42 nominees now vetted, the committee is expected to present its report for parliamentary approval soon.