The Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), a non-for-profit organisation, has mounted a strong opposition to the appointment of John Oti Bless as deputy minister for Local Government and Rural Development.
Oti Bless is alleged to have earlier made unsavory comments at the Chief Justice, Georgina Wood, on an Accra based radio station,causing both the majority and the minority in parliament to hold on to his appointment. However, Parliament on Wednesday approved his appointment.
Speaking in an interview with 3FM News, the Executive Director for Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Rashid Dramani said Oti Bless has not demonstrated to be trusted with any mandate.
“In a democracy before somebody is given a mandate, it’s a two way thing: the person has to show that he/she is responsible enough to be given power and in return he or she has to prove to that he is worth it,” said Mr. Dramani.
He added that Parliament should have gathered courage to throw out Oti Bless’ appointment.
Also speaking on the issue, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Isaac Owusu Mensah, said Oti Bless’ appointment is likely to serve a purpose for the ruling government.
He said, “all appointments are political, although we have few days to the elections, the President’s term has not ended yet until January 2017 if he does not win the elections. So, appointing someone to serve as a deputy minister is likely to serve a specific interest that the government thinks it is important to her.”
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