The Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Ibrahim Ahmed has described the Appointments Committee popularly referred to as vetting committee of the seventh parliament as one of the best in history.
In his view, this is the best vetting process he has witnessed as a legislator despite the new entrants added to the old ones.
He made the remarks while speaking in an interview with Kwame Tutu on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm when he was asked to assess the performance of the committee after 12 nominees have been vetted.
Explaining why he described the vetting committee as the best, the MP for Banda said, both sides of the committee have chided their members over some actions which in his view show that, the chair is doing his job well.
“If both sides raise concerns over your work as a referee then I think you are doing your work well. This is the best vetting committee so far though some of them are new…This is the vetting that nominees were asked questions on the field of work assigned them. Formerly, issues were personalized to ridicule or disgrace the nominees but the current one deals with the issues…So I think so far, this is one of the best vetting committees I have seen but I know going forward, they will still improve upon it because the best does not mean it is a perfect one.”
According to him, only 8 out of the 13 vetted nominees would be approved with the remaining 3 on hold pending further investigations.
They include Alan Kyerematen – Trade, Ken Ofori-Atta – Finance, Dominic Nitiwul – Defence, Albert Kan-Dapaah – National Security, Gloria Akuffo – Attorney General and Justice Minister, Ambrose Dery – the Interior, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey – Foreign Affairs and Hajia Alima Mahama – Local Government & Rural Development.
With regards to Mr Osafo Marfo, the committee withheld his approval pending further investigation into alleged ethnocentric comments he allegedly made in 2015.
When he appeared before the committee on 20 January, Mr Marfo denied ever saying or implying that only Ghanaians from five resource-rich regions, all of which happen to be Akan-dominated areas in the country, should lead Ghana. He also refused to apologise insisting his comments were misconstrued. The nominee for Energy Boakye Agyarko has been asked to furnish the committee with an evidence to support his claim that the World Bank was breathing down the neck of former President Mahama.
The Committee is made up of 16 members from the majority and 10 Minority members.
Below is the list of members on the committee:
Joseph Osei-Owusu (MP for Bekwai and First Deputy Speaker) – Chairman Adwoa Safo (MP for Dome Kwabenya and Deputy Majority Leader) Kwesi Ameyaw Cheremeh (MP for Sunyani East and Majority Chief Whip) Dominic Nitiwul (MP for Bimbilla) Samuel Atta Kyea (MP for Abuakwa South) Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Manhyia South) Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover (MP for Tema East) Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful (MP Ablekuma West) Joseph Kofi Adda (Navrongo Central) Joseph Cudjoe (Effia) Patricia Apeagyei (Asokwa) O. B. Amoah (Akwapim South) Kofi Amoako Hene (Atebubu) Anthony Karbo (Lawra) Barbara Asher Ayisi (Cape Coast South) Micheal Yaw Gyato (Krachie) Minority: Haruna Iddrisu (Minority Leader and MP for Tamale South) – Ranking Member Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak (Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase) Mahama Ayariga (Bawku Central) Sampson Ahi (Bodi) Eric Opoku (Asunafo South) Bernice Adiku Heloo (Hohoe) Joseph Yieleh Chireh (Wa West) Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye (Odododiodioo) Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (North Tongu) Alhassan Suhuyini (Tamale North)
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