[ 2017-01-20 ]

Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea, Minister-designate for Works and Housing

Mahama Ayariga should be careful not to denigrate himself - Atta Akyea
Minister-Designate for Works and Housing, Hon.
Samuel Atta Akyea has chided the assertion of the
Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Hon.
Mahama Ayariga that the appointment of Hon. Yaw
Osafo Maafo as Senior Minister by President
Akufo-Addo is unconstitutional.

The former Minister of Environment, Science and
Technology has, in a letter addressed to the
President, Nana Akufo-Addo asserted that the
creation of the position of Senior Minister is an
affront to the constitution; calling on the
President to reconsider the nomination.

But reacting to the claim on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye
Abia' Morning Show, the lawmaker for Abuakwa South
Constituency said it is shameful for Hon. Ayariga
to raise such argument as Ministries like Agric
and Energy are also not enshrined in the
Constitution but have been set up.

“The issue Hon. Ayariga has raised is baseless
because Ministry of Agric is not in the
Constitution, Minister of Energy is also not in
the Constitution; the only minister mentioned in
the constitution is the Attorney-General in
Article 88, and so I don’t know what he wants to
say here,” he chided.

He added it is more embarrassing to hear a lawyer
of his [Mahama Ayariga’s] magnitude to claim
that the Senior Minister is equal to the position
of Prime Minister; rating Hon. Yaw Osafo Maafo’s
position equally powerful as President Nana
Akufo-Addo’s.

“When you talk of Prime Minister, nobody
supersedes him but with Osafo Maafo as Senior
Minister, someone is above him and that person is
President Akufo-Addo. So that analysis is baseless
with all due respect to him because he cannot say
Senior Minister is equal to Prime Minister,” he
posited.

He explained that as the Chief of Staff is the
Gatekeeper who liaison with the President, the
party [NPP] and the whole nation, the Senior
Minister monitors and reports to the President
every activity of all the ministers; thus,
Ministers can also seek for his opinion on
issues.

“What Mahama Ayariga is saying is only found in
his imagination. He is only expressing his view
because we have Executive Presidency who should
appoint Ministers to work for him . . . I don’t
know but maybe he wants fame after his party left
power, but he should be careful not to denigrate
himself when it comes to the law,” he added.

Source - peacefmonline.com

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