Mallam Did What Mattered Most - Blay

"The Minister designate for Youth and Sports, Mallam Yusif Ali Issah, may have his nomination confirmed together with the last batch of vetted presidential nominees, when the Appointments Committee of Parliament goes into its next caucus meeting.

Though he was "not best in terms of articulation on issues," he answered questions and did what he was expected by the committee to do. These sentiments were shared by Hon. Freddy Blay, Chairman of the Appointments Committee on an Accra FM radio station, in the wake of public opinion that Mallam Yusif Issah did not give a good account of himself when he took his turn before the vetting panel.

According to the Appointments Committee Chairman, a nominee must prove to be so bad or state a position contrary to state policy when vetted, in order to be rejected. Mr. Blay who was speaking on vetting done so far by his Appointments Committee, agreed that in their vetting of Mallam Issah, all members solely concentrated on the sports ministry.

He said, "on hind sight I realize no question was asked regarding the youth." For this he asked that the Committee be forgiven. The Appointments Chairman disclosed that for all nominees, the committee was supplied with background information by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

As regards their political history however, he said as the committee couldn't conduct it's own investigations it made do with what it had on them, adding that it was realized most of them hadn't held political positions before. On whether questions bordering on the morals of the nominees were excluded on purpose during the vetting, Mr. Blay said some of the nominees were virtually unknown before their vetting.

He also indicated that although individual members of the committee had ample opportunity to do so, members of the public present sometimes frowned on such questions when they were posed. Hon. Freddy Blay explained that even though the Curriculum Vitae and educational background was an integral part of requirements, vetting was only conducted to interview nominees in order to find our their suitability for the ministry or job they've been assigned and their articulation.