Ministerial vetting: Give nominees questions in advance – Kofi Bentil suggests

Parliament’s Appointments Committee should consider giving questions to ministerial nominees that appear before them. This is the view of Vice-President of Imani Ghana, Kofi Bentil.

GhanaWeb monitored submissions he made today on Joy FM’s NewsFile program, as panelists discussed issues surrounding the two-week old vetting of ministerial nominees.

“The only thing I find needful and something that we need to do regarding the process is to make sure that we give the persons who have been appointed, the questions ahead of the vetting. I feel very strongly about it.

“It is possible that before the vetting starts, we know who is coming. At least each person should send four or so questions. It doesn’t mean you have to ask all of them but at least the main questions that you want to ask. If you want some information about something that happened in the past and a few things,” he added.

Bentil stressed that even though his suggestion applied to old or new appointees, it was more profound in the case of returning ministers.

“Whether the person was already in office or not, we should send the questions to these people so they prepare and come and give answers according to the information that they have, especially people who were in office and are being returned to office.”

He said such a move will arrest the incidence of nominees giving excuses for lack of information: “It (lack of prior questions) is giving them room to say I am not aware, to say let me go and check.”

Bentil however conceded that the current vetting system is fit for purpose and needs to be maintained and made better.