Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka has disclosed that many of the nominees of President Akufo-Addo were eager to meet him and the leadership of the Minority side of the Appointments Committee but they refused to meet them.
According to him, he did not want a situation where they will accuse him of being compromised by the Majority to do the bidding of the President.
Speaking in an interview with Joy News, the Asawase MP explained that even though they are colleagues in Parliament, most of the party supporters will not understand why they will be having healthy discussions with nominees whose nomination they think can be opposed to deny them ministerial positions.
“As nominees, many of them did everything under the sun to even meet me and some of us but we refused. I mean you are coming for vetting, why do you want to come and see me…in Ghana if you are appearing before the Appointments Committee and I'm seen with you having a normal chat, some people can take pictures and give it some meaning.
“We constantly reminded ourselves that yes, we are colleagues, but let’s be careful the kind of interaction that we even have with them. So, when people are talking about bribes, compromise it’s unfortunate,” Muntaka explained.
Muntaka’s revelation comes after the Minority leadership was accused of being compromised to approve nominees of the President.
He denied allegations that the Minority members on the Appointments Committee have been compromised by the Majority to do their bidding.
“You know that ultimately, this is where all of us want to arrive just be working towards getting them there but if you want them all to be happy you may never get them there. Yes, I know sometimes you hear the rumours oh they’ve been compromised…it is very unfortunate to hear,” Muntaka said.
The NDC MPs on the Appointments Committee led by Ranking Member and Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, have come under strong criticisms for approving the nominees of President Akufo-Addo especially Ken Ofori-Atta.
Angry members of the opposition NDC flayed their members on the Appointments Committee as well as the leadership of the party in Parliament including the Speaker.
