Our position hasn’t changed – Minority replies Majority on calls to approve ministers-designate

The Minority in Parliament has said that their decision not to approve the ministers-designate despite taking part in the vetting has not changed.

Minority Chief Whip Kwame Agbodza told TV3 in an interview on Tuesday, February 21 that “Nothing has changed as far as our decision is concerned.”

His comment comes after the Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Drompreh appealed to the opposition lawmakers to support the nominees and get them endorsed.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, February 21, Mr Annoh-Dompreh said almost all the nominees are legislators who should be supported by their colleagues.

He explained that there has been a convention in the House that when one gets any privilege of service, all the lawmakers rally behind the person to succeed.

“This is their major decision since coming into leadership, this is the first time more or less they are going to make such a significant decision, that they should tamper justice with mercy.

“That is not the right expression to use in this context because I don’t see the relevance of this but I am just saying that they should just let go, support the nominees, let us pass them.

“Primarily, all these nominees, the Honourable Bryan Acheampong, Honourable KT Hammond, Honourable OB Amoah, Honourable Stephen Amoah, they are all our colleagues and in this house, we have this convention that if one of our own is nominated for a privilege od service we rally around one another to get them endorsed especially in the case that there are no criminal committal of any crime, it will not be injuries if they so decide to support the decision,” the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Member of Parliaments said.

He added that “I have known the arrowhead Dr Ato Forosn so well, and I pray what I am going to say people will not misconstrue it. Ato Forson has been one of the most patriotic members on the other side. I served on the Finance Committee before I had to give way to somebody, this is a man, probably because of his stint at the Finance Ministry he can appreciate well when it comes to revenue matters, when it comes to governance, I just want to appeal to our colleagues that for the sake of our country, we have no other country than this country.

“I am not too experienced and too old in leadership but I have come to realise that the more you defeat your colleague with your numbers, the wider the gap between the two of you becomes. We engage in a fight and you are always beating me, you are always defeating me so you are pushing me to a wall and one day I will strike, however I will strike I don’t care because I have to also win. So it is not just about the numbers, of course, we can get our numbers but I am looking into the future how we can work seamlessly and harmoniously.”

The Minority in Parliament said that they were not going to subscribe to a consensus vote at the level of the Appointments Committee regarding the new ministers-designate.

The National Democratic Congres (NDC) told its lawmakers not to approve President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s new ministerial nominees. The vetting of the nominees starts today Monday, February 20.

The NDC said it has long expressed concern over the very large size of the current government and shares the views that it must be reduced bearing in mind “the current massive economic mess, the country has been plunged into by the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia government.”

Despite numerous appeals, the main opposition party said in a statement on Sunday February 19 signed by General Secretary Foifi Kwetey that, President Akufo Addo has “quite characteristically, remained adamant and tone deaf.

“The leadership of the NDC, has, against this backdrop, directed the Minority caucus in Parliament NOT to approve any of the new ministerial nominees and to further push for a reduction in the size of government with a view to reducing the needless drain on scarce public resources.

“In this moment of haircuts, the most important thing the government can do is to do a “governmental haircut”. Our directive to the minority in parliament, we believe strongly aligns with the genuine sentiments of most Ghanaians. Enough is enough.”

Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Monday February 20, the Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said “A couple of weeks ago, the President announced names of nominees for Ministerial appointments. The vetting commenced this morning.

“We in the Minority wish to make it clear that we remain committed to ensuring greater scrutiny and will spare no effort to protect the public purse. In line with this, we are taking part in the vetting process so that at the very minimum, we can scrutinize the President’s decision in bringing up those nominees.

“However, the Minority will not subscribe to a consensus vote at the level of the Appointments Committee. This will ensure that the matter is brought before the full House for a vote to be taken in secret.”

They demanded the government takes certain actions.

Below is a list of what they are requesting of the government…

1. The immediate reduction in the number of Ministers from the current 86 to 65

2. The merger of Ministries. For example,
i. Information and Communication
ii. Transport and Railways
iii. Chieftaincy and Tourism
iv. Sanitation and Local government

3. The immediate reduction in the number of political appointees at the Office of the President.

4. Immediate scrapping of all amorphous creations and waste-pipe, job-for-the-boys’ appointments since the assumption of office of President Akufo Addo in 2017.

The work of those undefined, amorphous creations must revert to established entities in the civil and public service that perform similar, if not same functions.

Some of these bizarre portfolios at the office of the president
are:

1. Youth Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs
2. Policy Associate
3. Chief Executive of Public Sector Reforms
4. Overseer of the National Cathedral
5. Church Relations Manager
6. Diaspora Church Mobilization Officer
7. Policy & Coordinator Analyst
8. Focal Person, La Francophonie
9. Technical Director, La Francophonie
10. Coordinator, Special Development Initiatives
Secretariat
11. Director of Special Projects
12. Manager of Operations & Programs
13. 5 Technical Communications Assistants
14. Technical Advisor, Zongo Development Authority
15. 2 Technical Advisors, Special Development
Initiatives Secretariat
16. Technical Advisor, Political Affairs
17. Presidential Staffer, NABCO
18. Office Management Executive Associate
19. Technical Director to the Presidential Advisor on
Media
20. Data Manager