"Pastor" rejected as Minister for 'lying'

Parliament yesterday rejected the appointment of Rev Akwesi Owusu-Bi, the President's nominee for Deputy Minister for Trade Industry, Private Sector Development and PSI, and differed the appointment of two others.

According to the Appointment Committee's report, the Reverend Minister was very inconsistent in most of the answers he gave, as well as being "evasive and not truthful at all".

His untruthfulness bordered on questions about his former position as a Presiding Member of the Upper Denkyira District Assembly and a project he undertook in that same district.

"Among other things, the Committee noted inconsistency in his explanations especially in the following: year in which he took the contract, his position at the time the contract was awarded, the total amount allocated to him and the amount he refunded when he was told to.

"The committee after further investigation realised among others that the nominee was a Presiding Member of the Assembly at the time of the award of the contract… The committee therefore established that the nominee was evasive and not truthful".

Speaking in support of the motion for disapproval, the Minority Leader, Alban S.K Bagbin, said "though the man is a Reverend Minister, he has very little integrity, he was so contradictory in his answers and spoke very little truth".

Mr Bagbin said, further checks have to be made about Vicky Bright, who was nominated for the position of Deputy Minister of State at the Castle as to whether she has actually denounced her British Citizenship or not. He said information available indicates that she has filled forms to that effect but that cannot be considered a denunciation since some other due processes have to be followed.

In deferring the confirmation of Kenwuud Nuworsu as Deputy Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, he said "he found himself wanting in his answers and denied knowledge of all the negative reports from the Serious Fraud Office and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and I think the two institutions must be called upon to throw more light on the issue before he can be approved".

"It is not about witch hunting or any thing; its about helping to choose the right persons to help the president achieve his set objectives", he further added.

The Speaker, Ebenezer Sakyi Hughes then pointed out to Members that provisions of the Standing Orders indicate that either they agree by consensus or have a secret balloting. Leadership after consultations decided to suspend the approval for the three nominees.

Eleven others were however given approval by consensus. They are Abraham Ossei Aidoo, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs; Esther Obeng Dappah, Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines; Godfrey T Bayon, Minister of State at the Road Transport Ministry; Kofi Osei Ameyaw, Deputy Minister for Tourism and Diasporan relations.

The others are Samuel Obodai, Deputy Minister, Central Region; Ofosu Asamoah, Deputy Minister Eastern Region and Agnes Chigabatia, Deputy Minister, Upper East Region.

The rest are Winifred Assibi Dy-Yakah, Deputy Minister Upper West Region, Frederick Opare-Ansah, Deputy Minister of Communications, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment and Frank Agyekum, Deputy Minister of Information and National Orientation.