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After hours of disagreements and a brief suspension, Parliament on Friday (24 March) approved President Akufo-Addo’s six ministerial nominees.
Adansi Asokwa MP, Kobina Tahir Hammond has been confirmed to head the Ministry of Trade and Industry, with Dr Stephen Amoah appointed as Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry.
Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Brian Acheampong has been approved as the Minister of Food and Agriculture and the Member of Parliament for Karaga, Mohammed Amin Adam, has been okayed as Minister of State at the Finance Ministry.
Stephen Asamoah Boateng is the new Minister for Religious and Chieftaincy Affairs, while Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah heads the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as Minister of State.
Mr KT Hammond secured 154 yes votes as against 116 NO votes to gain approval from the house. Dr Stephen Amoah received 146 votes against 123 NO votes to pass the approval stage.
Also, Brian Acheampong was approved after receiving 167 YES votes. Meanwhile, Amin Adam secured 152 YES votes while O.B Amoah had 149 YES votes.
NDC Disappointed
This development appears to have unsettled the rank and file of the party. The party’s General Secretary Fifi Kwetey has condemned the Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) who voted in favour of the six ministerial appointees to be approved.
In a statement on Saturday, the party’s scribe expressed his disappointment in those legislators adding that they placed “their parochial interest ahead of the interest of Ghanaians.”
According to him, the lawmakers who voted to approve the appointees, have betrayed the party since they disregard the directive to reject the new Ministerial nominees.
“The party, on behalf of all Ghanaians, condemns this conduct in no uncertain terms, as it not only betrays the expressed will of the party, but the desire of the Ghanaian people and constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana.
“The party wishes to reaffirm its principled position for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his bloated government and reset his priorities to reflect the difficult times Ghanaians find themselves in,” parts of the statement read.
Mahama unsettled
Already NDC stalwarts including former President John Mahama have expressed their disappointment over the outcome of the secret voting yesterday.
Mr Mahama who tagged the few NDC MPs traitors asked them to undertake a serious soul-searching and learn what it means to be nationalistic.
“I am also disappointed”, Mr Mahama said in a Facebook post. “Those responsible for this betrayal must do some serious soul-searching and learn to place national interest over personal interest”.
“Equally disappointing is the President’s refusal to seize the opportunity to realign and downsize his bloated government when the NPP flagbearer hopefuls and the Chieftaincy minister resigned”, he wrote.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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