[ 2017-01-27 ]

Minority boycotts Agyarko, Osafo-Maafo’s approval
The Majority New Patriotic Party (NPP) in
Parliament, has approved Senior Minister Nominee ,
Osafo Maafo and Energy Minister Nominee, Boakye
Agyarko without the Minority’s support.

Parliament has approved the nomination of 8
ministerial nominees to serve in the Nana
Akufo-Addo led New Patriotic Party (NPP)
government.

A report presented to the House by the
Appointments Committee tasked to vet the nominees,
recommended the approval of 8 out of the 13
nominees who appeared before the committee with
the minister-nominee of Energy, Boakye Agyarko,
and Senior minister nominee, Osafo Maafo excluded.


Though the two subsequently submitted documentary
evidence on Thursday as part of efforts to ensure
their approval, Citi News’ Duke Opoku Mensah who
was in Parliament today [Friday], reported that
the Minority was still not cooperating.

“The information I’m picking from the
corridors of Parliament is that, there has been a
deadlock with regards to a consensus to be reached
on the Senior Minister nominee and Minister
Nominee for Energy . What I’m picking up is
that, the leadership has not been able to reach a
consensus…The majority would have to use its
sheer force of numbers to ensure the approval,”
Duke reported.

A report by the Parliament Appointment’s
Committee indicated that “”all the nominees
demonstrated through their answers to questions
posed to them by members of the committee that
they have the intellectual capacity, skill,
experience and the requisite training to a) To
“assist the President in the determination of
general policy of the government” and b)
“necessary for the efficient running of the
state” as envisaged by Articles 76 (2) and 78
(2) of the constitution.” It said
“notwithstanding the forgoing, Members of the
minority on the Committee, have indicated that
they do not support the recommendation to approve
Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the Senior
Minister-Designate and Mr. Boakye the Energy
Minister-Designate by consensus.

It added that “consequently in accordance with
order 172 (4) o the standing orders of the House
of the Committee recommends to the House to
approve the nomination by majority decision. i)
Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo ii) Mr. Boakye Agyarko.”

Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu, had explained
that, they needed some “additional
information” on statements they both made before
the Committee during the vetting.

He said Mr. Agyarko provided some
“inaccurate” information relating to the
“debt associated with the Electricity Company of
Ghana (ECG) and the Volta River Authority
(VRA).”

Source - citifmonline.com

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