Interesting times ahead – NDC National Youth Organiser warns appointees of rigorous vetting in parliament

The National Youth Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress, George Opare Addo, has hinted of what is likely to be the fate of some members of President Akufo-Addo’s first term government during vetting, should they be renominated for ministerial positions.

The result of the 2020 parliamentary elections has caused an equal configuration in the number of members of the two leading political parties on Parliaments Appointment Committee.

With 13 members from both sides of the house on the committee, the president’s nominees for appointment will face a vetting panel expected to do a thorough job and not necessarily an easy consensus on the passing of some nominees.

Speaking on the days ahead, the NDC organizer in a Facebook post singled out those who served in the president's first term and hinted what will be their fate at the committee if they are to be renominated.

For the former Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu Ekuful, Mr Opare Addo said she will eventually have to explain to Ghanaians why her ministry caused the shutdown of some radio stations without due process.

“Ursula Owusu, if she gets to be appointed will have to tell the good people of this country why those radio licences were revoked without due process,” he said.

In 2017, the National Communications Authority under the Ministry of Communications revoked the operating licences of 34 radio stations, including some pro-NDC stations. The action was described as targeted and politically motivated by the opposition party.

Mr Opare Addo also wrote about the former Development and Special Initiatives Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson, saying the only way she will successfully pass the vetting will be through the use of force.

“Our Rambo MP, Hawa Koomson, will have to get her thugs to force her nomination through if the president makes a mistake of appointing her.”

The Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East who in the past admitted to firing a gun at a voter registration centre has been accused by the NDC of using thugs to terrorize and intimidate their members in her constituency.

The former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, who is likely to be renominated by the president was also marked out by the NDC National Youth Organiser.

According to Mr Opare Addo, the former finance minister, if renominated, will have a lot of explanations to do on his role in the controversial Agyapa deal and the banking sector clean-up that resulted in the collapse of some banks in the country.

“Guys, do you remember our Piccadilly White wearing former finance minister. The chief protagonist in the Agyapa scandal. He has to tell us why he chose to pay two million dollars to his cousin and friend in the Agyapa deal and why he chose to collapse banks instead of revamping them.”

In all, Mr Opare Addo predicted the days ahead to be interesting saying the NDC as a party will by their actions ensure Ghana is placed first.