An Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo says Ghanaians deserve an explanation from the Minority Group in Parliament following the unanimous approval of Mr Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister.
In a Facebook post, Professor Gyampo said through the incessant bastardization of his policies by the minority group, Ghanaians were made to believe that Mr Ofori-Atta was the most corrupt and incompetent Minister in the previous administration only for him to receive a unanimous recommendation by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
According to him, the Minority Group owes Ghanaians an apology for demonizing Mr Ofori-Atta, and henceforth, they must not be taken seriously on their criticisms of the government.
"The minority group, especially, their members who pontificate on finance and the economy, owe us an explanation on the unanimous approval of KOA (Ken Ofori-Atta) as FM (Finance Minister)," the statement said.
"I personally do not have problems with the FM, but we were, through the incessant bastardization of his policies by the minority group, made to believe that he was the most greedy, insensitive, corrupt and incompetent Minister in the previous administration.
"Was the Minister that good in his first term to warrant such a unanimous approval? What was the basis of the critical stance against some of his policies by the minority group? Was it just propaganda against him or it was sheer ignorance on their part? Were they criticizing the man, just to look good in the sight of the populace? Does it mean their criticisms weren’t well-founded? What?".
Prof Gyampo also urged politicians to refrain from the "kind of nauseating politics of convenience being practised in Ghana" where baseless allegations are made against individuals just for political gains.
"We cannot be taken for granted all the time by politicians. We aren’t always that gullible. The kind of nauseating politics of convenience being practised in Ghana is a needless sale of the soul of human conscience and this must stop".
Toothless Parliament
Prof Gyampo also expressed concern that the Eighth Parliament appeared to be even more of a rubber-stamp in approving the decisions of the Executive than previous Parliaments.
He said the Minority Group which was expected to countervail the Executive was rather singing the praises of the ruling government even louder than the Majority Group.
"The minority group would only bark and hypnotize us into thinking they would assert the role of parliament as countervailing authority. But they would sing the praises of the ruling government even louder than members of the government when they are required to assert parliamentary sovereignty. The evidence is their contradictory conducts at the Appointment Committee and the Plenary Session of the House".
Source: graphiconline.com
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