It was a privilege for Ablakwa to question Osafo-Marfo - Wontumi

The ease, at which Senior Minister-designate, Yaw Osafo Marfo, answered questions during his turn of vetting, has been hailed by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party.

Hon. Osafo Marfo was first to be vetted today by the Parliamentary Appointments Committee and Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako believes he deserves commendation for his self-controlled state of mind.

Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Chairman Wontumi disclosed to Peacefmonline.com in an interview that he enjoyed listening and watching the former Finance Minister during his interaction with the Vetting Committee.

In his view, the seasoned politician managed to make light every question thrown at him and properly explained issues placed before him.

“Osafo Marfo made my day. I enjoyed his submission very well. His turn before the vetting committee was excellent and I know he would successfully make a Senior Minister”, Chairman Wontumi said.

Some nominees appointed by President Akufo-Addo to take up ministerial roles were today vetted in parliament and it was on this note that the Minority in Parliament, promised to subject them to thorough scrutiny to ensure they are qualified for their respective portfolios.

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu and a member on the Appointments Committee, Hon. Ablakwa, sort to question Mr. Osafo Maafo during the proceedings on his role in the CNT/CI loan and MacMillan debacle under the erstwhile Kufour.

The question pressed Mr. Osafo Maafo to respond by stating that he (Ablakwa) was too young to understand the details of the two issues at the time.

"I think you were too young at the time to understand the issue," he stated.

“…whether under Yaw Osafo Maafo as a Minister, we bought a single book from Macmillan; No, we did not. Because I found out there were intrigues to create problem in the whole industry and I prefer to keep my honour…So, I refused to carry out the tender and we didn’t buy anything from Macmillan.

“People pretend to be mischievous and engage in demonization on things which are frivolous. It is frivolous…Up till today; I never bought a single book from Macmillan under such arrangements," he stressed.

He discounted the claims, referring to them as a "mere propaganda which worked for them (the NDC) because once you carry out that headline, people will speak on it from angles in the newspapers and it tends to stick. But no book was ever bought from Macmillan. So, that alone, was spurious and not right.”

Although he was made to retract and apologize for his “unparliamentarily” comment to Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa, Chairman Wontumi believes it should have been vice versa since it was rather a privilege for the MP to have the chance to question an intelligent person like Yaw Osafo Maafo.

The Ashanti Regional Chairman congratulated Hon. Yaw Osafo Marfo for his “sincere” response to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and the other members during the proceedings.