Akufo-Addo's government in jeopardy as hung parliament bites

The first impact of the eighth parliament is about to be felt with as many as eight ministerial nominees by the president on the cusp of losing out on their respective portfolios.

The equal share of seats in the house (I37 for both NDC and NPP) meant that the two parties had to be equally represented on the Appointments Commitment whose core duty is to vet and recommend the approval or otherwise of some key appointments by the president.

With both parties having the same number, the vetting and subsequent approval of appointees is no longer a mere formality, with members of the National Democratic Congress determined to make the numbers count.

Their first strike is an outright rejection of three key nominees by President Akufo-Addo while five others have been put on ice.

The Minority, according to reports, rejected nominated representatives of the president in the Information, Food and Agriculture as well as the Fisheries and Aquaculture ministries.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Mavis Hawa Koomson have all been rejected by the committee which is set to table its recommendations before parliament this week.

The likes of Godfred Dame, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Kwesi Amoako Atta and John Peter Amewu have been given second chances to convince the committee on why it should approve them.

The rejection of Oppong Nkrumah, Hawa Koomson and Afriyie Akoto instead of the norm of nominees being approved suggests the house will now have to debate and vote on them.

With history on their side, the NDC are hopeful that once it gets to secret balloting their wishes will prevail which is a final and conclusive rejection of the appointees.