Vetting of Ministerial nominees begins this week

The Appointments Committee of Parliament will on Friday, January 26 begin vetting 12 people nominated for ministerial appointments by President John Agyekum Kofuor.

A statement released from the Office of Parliament entreats media houses to publicise the issue to enable the public to send memos on the appointees to the committee.

There was "a give and take" from the majority and minority sides when Mr J H Mensah, Majority Leader announced that public hearing on the ministers designate would start on Thursday, January 25.

Mr Asiedu Nketia (NDC Wenchi West) said the time was too short for the public to contribute to the appointments process and called for an extension.

Mr Kwamena Bartels ( NPP Ablekuma East) countered that the last parliament sometimes had only 48 hours notice on appointments before proceeding with vetting.

He said it was possible to vet three nominees in a day as they had done in the past and that one week's notice was too long.

Another minority member who advocated for an extension was Mr Victor Gbeho, (IND Anlo) who said, "the input of the general public is an essential part of the appointments process" and therefore called on the majority side to allocate at least one week for public reaction.

He said there could be flexibility in the schedule in due course if the need arose.

Mr J.H Mensah said that the timetable is in response to the Speaker's urge that "the clock should begin ticking."

"We need a government as quickly as possible to move things forward," he said.

Those lined up for vetting include Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Minister of State designate and Leader of Government Business, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, younger brother of the President, the Minister for Defence and Mr Yaw Osafo-Marfo, Minister of Finance.

Others are Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, for Foreign Affairs, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo Addo as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Gladys Asmah for Women Affairs and Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu for Local Government and Rural Development.

The rest are Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister designate for Trade and Industry, Major Courage Quarshigah (Rtd) for the Ministry of Agriculture. Alhaji Yakubu Malik, Minister designate for the Interior, Dr Kwaku Afriyie for the Ministry of Lands and Forestry and Dr Dominic Fobih, Minister designate for Science and Technology.