The leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the Minority Caucus in Parliament to vote against the approval of all ministers of state designate who were vetted by Parliament’s Appointment Committee recently following their nomination by President Akufo-Addo.
The NDC also called on its members of Parliament not to support the passage of all pending financial bills that are crucial to the government’s bid to secure the International Monetary Fund (IMF) three billion dollar (US$3 billion) Extended Credit Facility by the end of the month of March.
Ministerial nominations
President Nana Akufo-Addo has nominated the MP for Adansi Asokwa, Kwabena Tahiru (KT) Hammond, as the new Minister of Trade to replace Alan Kyerematen, who resigned from the cabinet on 6 January 2023 to pursue his presidential ambitions.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, announced the nominations on the floor of the House on Tuesday (7 February). Akufo-Addo also nominated Stephen Amoah, the former chief executive officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), to serve as the deputy trade minister.
For the Ministry of Agriculture, the MP for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong, was named as a replacement for Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who also resigned last month to pursue his presidential ambition as well.
Osei Bonsu Amoah was also nominated as the Minister of State designate at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development and Stephen Asamoah Boateng, the former director general of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), was named as the new Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
Mohammed Amin Adam, the current deputy minister of energy, was named as the Minister of State designate at the Ministry of Finance and Herbert Krapa, was moved from deputy trade minister to deputy minister of energy.
Parliament’s appointment committee has vetted all the nominees but the committee failed to approve the ministers and deputy ministers-designate by consensus and the House will therefore be required to vote on their approval hopefully in the coming week (between 13 and 17 March 2023).