Vote on ministers, Supreme Court Justices: Here are the three absentee MPs

Three sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) were not available to participate in Friday’s voting to approve six persons nominated by the President for appointment as Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Minister.

The absentee MPs include Mr James Gyakye Quayson, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Madam Sarah Adwoa Safo, New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Dome Kwabenya; and Mr Philip Atta Basoah, NPP MP for Kumawu.

Mr Quayson’s absence was due to a court injunction restraining him from carrying himself as an MP.

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, initially informed the Speaker that Mr Basoah was on his way to the House.

However, at the end of voting, the Majority Leader told the House that the information he had received indicated that Mr Basoah could not make it on time to cast his vote and therefore, the House could proceed with the process.

As a result of Mr Quayson’s inability to participate the total number of the Minority was reduced from 137 to 136.

While the absence of Madam Safo and Mr Basoah led to the number of the Majority, including one independent MP, reducing from 138 to 136.

Through the secret balloting, the House confirmed all the six ministrial nominees.

The nomination of Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, Minister-designate, Trade and Industry; Mr Bryan Acheampong, Minister-designate, Food and Agriculture, and Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister-designate, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, was approved.

The rest are Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State-designate at the Ministry of Finance; Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, Minister of State-designate at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, and Dr Stephen Amoah, Deputy Minister-Designate for Trade and Industry.