Approving KT Hammond, others makes Parliament accessory to hardship

Parliament's primary task is enactment of laws for the country. That notwithstanding, other equally important roles are played by the legislature in ensuring smooth administration of the country.

Among these roles are as an oversight institution on government, include scrutinizing, approving or disapproving government expenses (budget), vetting and approval and or rejection of government nominees to various political offices; ministerial nominees, justices, etc.

This practice has been in use since the adoption of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution. This has enormously strengthened Ghana's multi-party democracy.

That’s not to say or mean, it has not failed in it's exercise hence taking the people's power vested in them for granted.

An example of such is the current parliament which started after the 2020 elections where for the first time since Democratic practice in Ghana, the country is experiencing a 'hung' Parliament.

This implies, there is no clear majority or minority. The ruling party and the opposition have equal number of seats in the legislative arm of government.

This, I think, should be used to play the role of oversight on government, hence putting government on it's toes to deliver to the people, but this hasn't largely been the case.

The economic situation of the country has been terrible with many sectors in shambles under the current administration due to some government decisions which Parliament could have easily stepped in to curb the situation.

One of such situation is the large size of government. Thus to say the number of government appointees, bringing to the fore the number of ministers, deputies, etc. playing huge financial burden on the tax payer.

The legislature in its work could have reduced the numbers by disapproving some of the ministerial appointees and deputies.

In recent days, some ministerial office holders resigned for various reasons.

This action created vacant positions in these ministries, giving government the responsibility to fill them with qualified and competent individuals.

That's to say that, deputies to these resigned office holders are still at

post. It was therefore the expectation of many Ghanaians who have been crying over the huge size of government architecture which to many is one of the many reasons for the economic difficulty the country is experiencing to use the opportunity to cut down the size of government. But that hasn't been the case since the president proceeded to make new appointments to these positions to

add up to the already oversized government.

K. T. Hammond, Bryan Acheampong, Stephen Amoah, were among the nominees as ministers and deputies respectively. Which in my view, was just another way of burdening the Ghanaian taxpayer further, since the deputies or the chief directors in these ministries could equally fill these positions without a challenge.

Reasons being that; the newly appointed ministers and deputies are of no unique or special qualities or qualifications in relation to the offices they are made to be vetted and approved to occupy. One of these persons is K. T. Hammond.

K. T. Hammond with no iota of doubt is a learned individual having been a lawyer and a politician for more than a decade could be considered to hold an office of such importance. But that notwithstanding, K.T hasn't proven himself in my opinion as a person fit to occupy the position as sensitive as the Trade Ministry. He proved that even during vetting.

When questions pertaining the government's flagship program, 1D1F was thrown at him, he seems not to have an idea what the entire program is about. Not to talk of the personal know-how he is bringing on board to see to the successful continuation of the program.

Another reason why in my opinion, and with all due respect, I think K.T should remain an MP but not to add to his responsibilities is the fact that he has never proven himself to be serious with issues of national interest. On several occasions his comments on sensitive national issues ridicule the citizenry and at no point does he show remorse.

At one point, he said the youths of the country have 'coconuts in their head' a comment that should not have come from a legislator. On another occasion, he made ethnocentric comments that had the potential to spark tribal against the people from the Volta Region. Not to mention, his interjections and kind of comic responses during his vetting which posed him a failed candidate for the position.

In summary, I think it's unnecessary for the appointment of new set of people to occupy offices that already have competent personality to fill the vacant positions.