The former Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu, has raised concerns about the rushed nature of the vetting process for the first batch of ministerial nominees in Parliament.
The immediate First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, speaking on Joy News’ Upfront on Thursday, January 16, criticised the expedited schedule, which he believes did not allow adequate time for public participation or for committee members to thoroughly prepare.
Reflecting on the timeline, Mr. Osei Owusu described the process as unprecedented.
“In this particular instance, the time between the election, the swearing-in, and four or five days after that, vetting started—it is novel. It has never happened before,” he said.
“I think the haste with which they proceeded with this one may have affected the preparation of the members of the committee.”
Joe Osei Owusu expressed scepticism about whether due process was followed in notifying the public.
“I am not even sure whether they advertised and allowed the public sufficient time,” he said.
“I asked the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, and they told me about some arrangement they had done, but I did not see any advert.
“Frankly, when you are starting a term like this, I would have thought a minimum of one or two weeks of advertisement would have been ideal to allow people who have issues to bring them out to the committee.”
He further emphasised the importance of public participation in the vetting process.
“The reason we call it a public hearing is that we want to afford the public the opportunity to participate,” he stated.
“I think it is a wrong step not to give the public sufficient time to send in memoranda. Once we afford the public this opportunity, if there are issues, they can bring them forward for the committee to consider.”
Joe Osei Owusu expressed his discomfort with what he described as “needless” and “indecent haste.”
He noted that the committees of Parliament had not even been fully constituted before the vetting process began.
“I asked the Minority Leader, and he said the committees themselves have not been constituted. So, to proceed with such speed—it was rather indecent haste, and I think it was unnecessary,” he said.
The former chairman also highlighted how the rushed process may have undermined the committee’s ability to conduct a thorough vetting.
“The spirit of the vetting process should allow adequate time for preparation, probing, and public input. If we rush it, we lose the essence of ensuring the nominee is qualified and can do the job.
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