News:
February 23, 2021
Chairman of the Appointment Committee Joseph Osei-Owusu has told the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu that as chairman he cannot communicate anything directly to President Akufo-Addo without going through the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
His statement was in connection with the objection to the vetting of the Minister-designate for Public Enterprise Joseph Cudjoe by the Minority Leader.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 objected to the vetting of Joseph Cudjoe, said, “I object to the vetting of President’s nominee for Public Enterprise and demand clarity on the Ministry, because every Ministry is a Public Enterprise on its own, but if the President had appointed him Minister of State responsible for a particular Ministry at the presidency to play a supervisory role I would not have challenges with that”.
Mr. Haruna, who is also the Ranking Member on the Committee believes that, creation of Public Enterprise Ministry violates the Executive Instrument (EI 12) to which the President has exercise his powers and mandate in nomination of people to be vetted for ministerial position.
Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin however took the pain to explain the position of the law that mandate the president to nominate Ghanaians to become Ministers.
Mr. Afenyo quoted Article 71 in support of his claim by saying, “Ministers of State shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval by Parliament, from among members of Parliament or persons qualify to be elected as members of Parliament, except that, the Majority of the Ministers shall be appointed from the members of Parliament.”
Mr. Afenyo Markin therefore urged the Committee to go on with their vetting as they are mandated to since time is also of essence, even though, he agreed with the call for a clarity by the Minority leader but that should not stop the committee from carrying the legitimate mandate.
The Committee suspended the vetting of Joseph Cudjoe for some minutes and later came back to begin its vetting with him.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com