Vetting of Ministers-designate to begin in June without Ablakwa

The Appointments Committee of Parliament will commence the vetting of 39 deputy Ministers-designate on June 2, 2021, according to information gathered from sources.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on April 21, 2021, submitted a list of 39 Deputy Minister nominees and one Minister of State to the Speaker of Parliament for vetting and approval.

The vetting, which will take a minimum of two weeks will mean the approval and swearing-in will be in late June unlike in 2017 when nominations were in March and swearing-in April.

The nominees are made up of both old and first time Members of Parliament amongst whom are former Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of state agencies who may have to answer for their stewardship in their former institutions.

Among the nominees is former deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Charles Adu-Boahen, who has now been elevated to the position of Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance.

A number of the Ministers are also maintaining their portfolios from President Akufo-Addo’s first term.

They include Mr O. B. Amoah and Augustine Collins Ntim at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development; Abena Osei-Asare at the Finance Ministry; Dr Mohammed Amin Adam and William Owuraku Aidoo at the Energy Ministry; and Tina Gifty Mensah at the Health Ministry.

Despite the vetting being of deputy ministers, some controversies may still be generated like what occurred during the vetting of substantive Ministers.

Meanwhile, the Minority caucus in parliament is expected to nominate a replacement on the Appointments Committee for Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa who tendered in his resignation letter to Right Honourable Alban Bagbin announcing his decision to step down as a member of the committee in earlier in March.

The exact reason for his resignation was not known as he only indicated that the decision was “personal and based on the principle.”

Mr Ablakwa added that he took the decision after “careful reflection and thoughtful considerations”, and that he will not be available for the vetting of President Akufo-Addo’s deputy ministerial nominees.

“My resignation is with immediate effect and therefore, I shall not be available for the vetting of nominees for Deputy Ministerial positions,” the letter stated in part.