Humility is not a criteria for appointing ministers – Appointments Committee told

Political Analyst, Dr. Isaac Brako has taken on the Appointments Committee for refusing to approve the Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, Kwaku Owusu Afriyie Akoto, on the grounds of him being arrogant when he appeared before the committee.

He described the actions of the Appointments Committee as one in a poor taste and not grounded in the country’s constitution.

“Our constitution never settled on arrogance as a criteria to withhold someone from assuming a ministerial position. What the parliamentarians are doing is in a poor taste and shouldn’t be done”.

On his accord, the appointment committee should be objective as the knowledgeable and understanding people they are known to be, instead of trying to hold appointees to ransom.

Dr. Brako made this known in an interview on the Happy Morning Show aired on e.TV Ghana and Happy 98.9 FM.

The Appointments Committee of Parliament failed to approve the appointments of ministers-designate for Food and Agriculture, Information and Fisheries – Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Hawa Koomson – respective.

The 26-member Committee could not arrive at a unanimous decision for the three which means their approval must go to the plenary.

“In the case of the Minister for Food and Agriculture-designate, Kwaku Owusu Afriyie Akoto, members of the Minority side of the Appointments Committee accused him of being arrogant when he appeared before the committee and on that basis, they will not approve of his nomination”, according to media reports.

However, summary of reasons for the decisions by the NDC caucus on the appointments committee read;

The Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture was untruthful under oath to the Committee on the circumstances leading to the abrogation of the Fruit and Export Terminal Contract of 2015 by GPHA on his express instructions as contained in a letter dated 11th January, 2021.

He was untruthful under oath about his directive ordering GPHA to issue a license to Fruit Terminal Company Ltd and how his actions could lead to a US$50million judgement debt.

The nominee was grossly insincere with the Appointments Committee on his special relationship with the Director of AMG Company Limited, Mr. Ernest Appiah and the latter’s control of fertilizer contracts awarded by the Ministry.

The Minister-designate was particularly discourteous, downright condescending and offensively arrogant in his appearance at the committee which is not the kind of attitude expected of public servants.