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.