The first phase of vetting of ministers-designate nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will take place at parliament today.
Four ministers-designate are expected to appear before the Appointments Committee of Parliament chaired by the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu in what appears to be a grueling encounter.
They are Senior Minister-designate, Yaw Osafo-Maafo; Minister-designate for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah; Minister-designate for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta and Minister-designate for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul.
The vetting process promises to be an exciting one as members of the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the Committee are bent on ‘stretching’ the new ministers-designate whom many political pundits have described as very ‘appropriate nominees’ for the various ministries assigned to them.
After the first batch, the vetting will continue on Saturday, January 21, with Minister-designate for Interior, Ambrose Dery and Attorney General-designate, Gloria Akuffo, also appearing.
Four ministers-designate will then face the vetting committee on Monday, January 23.
They are the Minister-designate for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama; Minister-designate for Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Minister-designate for Energy, Boakye Agyarko.
Then on Tuesday, January 24, the remaining three of the first batch of ministers-designate will also show up.
These are Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway; Minister-designate for Education, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh and Minister-designate for Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu.
The minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, told the media in parliament after the names were communicated to Members that as minority, they would look at the intelligence of the ministers-designate, their dispositions and suitability for the positions assigned to them when they appear before the committee.
Ministers’ CVs
Meanwhile, as at press time, the minority side of the Appointments Committee had complained bitterly that they were yet to receive the Curriculum Vitae of the ministerial nominees – 24 hours before their vetting commences.
According to Alhassan Suhuyini – a member of the minority side on the committee – attempts by them to get the CVs of the nominees before the start of the vetting today had proven futile since Wednesday.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based radio station, Citi FM, on Thursday, he said the delay in getting them the CVs was meant to frustrate them and that that would not augur well for the process.
“The people of Ghana want us…to ask the relevant questions, especially about the caliber of people that are going to be working for them. And so, we think that it is unacceptable. We don’t want them to give us the CVs tomorrow morning when we are supposed to be vetting the nominees,” Suhuyini said.
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