Ministerial Vetting: Tell your supporters the fact – Ephson to NDC

Managing Editor of the Dispatch Newspaper, Mr Ben Ephson has attributed the current disquiet among supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the failure of the leadership to be factual in their commentary on issues with the vetting of President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees to their followers.

Mr Ephson said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, April 3 that the leadership of the NDC should have told their supporters that they do not have the numbers in parliament to enable them to get away with some decisions they expected.

His comments follow the internal wangling ongoing in the NDC after the approval of all of President Akufo-Addo’s ministers.

A lawmaker for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa resigned from the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

He said in a letter addressed to the Speaker, Alban Kingsford Bagbin that the decision was taken “after days of careful reflection and thoughtful considerations”.

Mr. Ablakwa resigned from the Committee on Wednesday, March 31.

“I shall like to state that the reasons for this difficult decision are both personal and on principle.”

Mr. Epshon told the host of the show Abena Tabi that “The leadership of the NDC should have told their supporters the fact that the NDC does not have the numbers. Some NDC supporters have forgotten that that is that animal called secrete which makes Bagbin the speaker. The same animal was exploited that is why many of the ministers were passed after vetting.”

Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC Ade Coker has rejected the claim saying the leadership speaks the fact to their followers.

He further dismissed suggestions that the leadership of the NDC in parliament should be changed following the approval of all ministers of President Akufo-Addo when some of them were not qualified by their answers during the vetting.

According to him, any such move will rather disturb the NDC as a party.

He suggested on the Key Points programmes Saturday, April 3 that the party must rather remain focused and go back to the table to correct the wrongs.

Mr. Coker said “There is no need to change leadership now. It will rather muddy the waters. We need to remain focused and also be circumspect. It is premature to attempt to change leader.”

He further noted that there a lot of speculations regarding what led to the resignation of Mr. Ablakwa from the Committee.

This is a result of the failure of Mr. Ablakwa to give reasons for his resignation, he said.

To that end, Mr. Ade Coker said there is the need to know the voting line of Mr. Ablakwa when he was on the Committee during the vetting of President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees.

Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, April 3, Mr. Ade Coker told host Abena Tabi that “In future, your voting record in parliament can be pulled out. If you go to the US, there is nothing like consensus.

“We will have to find out during the vetting process what his [Ablakwa’s] voting line was. That will determine and help us to make a judgment on what he is saying about principles.

“If you had consistently voted against the nominees then it looks like well, then you can say is of no use for me to still be on the committee.

“I want to know how the voting pattern went. if the voting pattern went in such a way that you lost, then you are obliged to accept the results of what has taken place but here we are they only come and tell us it is consensus.”

He added, “the resignation gives room for conjecture, it gives room for a lot of rumours against the NDC.”