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Parliament has approved six of President John Dramani Mahama’s ministerial nominees after being vetted by the Appointments Committee.
The six are the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson; the Energy Minister, Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akruitinga Ayine. The rest are the Minster of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza; the Minister of Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, and the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Eric Opoku.
The six, vetted on January 13 and January 20, 2025 by the 11-member committee, were unanimously approved. Prior to their confirmation by the House on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Mr Bernard Ahiafor, presented the committee’s report on the President’s nomination for appointment as ministers. He told the House that the committee agreed, by consensus, to unanimously recommend to the House for approval of the six.
Seconding the motion, the Minority Leader, Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, said he was satisfied with how the nominees distinguished themselves during their vetting. He touted how many of them had acquitted themselves as legislators and earned the respect of the House over the years. He, however, said the Minority would “hold their feet to the fire” for every promise they made and demand answers from them once they assumed office.
In the case of Dr Forson, a fifth term MP, he said the Minority looked forward to the “resetting economic agenda” that Dr Forson spoke about. ” Mr Speaker, I am very confident in him; being 46 years, he served as deputy minister, came to the Chamber and seated behind the pillar and nobody saw and recognized him,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said. “Dr Forson did not even qualify for leadership of committee but by the grace of God, industry and patience, he had gotten to where he is today.”
Touching on the approval of Dr Ayine, Mr Afenyo-Markin expressed happiness about when he was leading government business as the Majority Leader, as a professional, he departed from certain positions taken by his caucus in some situations. “… Mr Speaker, I got a lot of social media attacks on him but he stood firm and no wonder His Excellency, in looking formidable but moderate lawyer to mount the Attorney-General Ministry, he found him worthy for that course,” he said. He said Dr Ayine had made his name both in academia and in the law courts.
He, however, urged Dr Ayine to allow due process of the law to take its course in all situations and resist the temptation of being “pushed around” when he assumed office. “Pursue those who have committed criminal wrong and we have no problem at all but do not pursue political opponents.” Mr. Afenyo-Markin prayed that Dr Ayine, after taking office, would review the activities of the Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL), which he described as “illegal and unconstitutional.”
“You must bring things to order and allow state institutions, clothed with the mandate to investigate, to follow due process, investigate and prosecute where necessary. The Minority Leader, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of regional balance in the appointment of ministerial nominees. He cited the number of women appointed, saying it was inadequate in line with the passage of Affirmative Action Bill.
Source: GNA
