The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged members on Parliament’s Appointments Committee to reject the “insincere apologies” of some ministerial nominees who have appeared before the committee for vetting.
This was after the e Minority MPs on the Appointments Committee rejected three of President Akufo-Addo’s 30 ministerial nominees while five others have been deferred to reappear for further questioning.
Information Minister-designate Kojo Oppong Nkrumah; Minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson and Minister-designate for Food Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto have been rejected for various reasons.
NDC’s NEC in a statement signed by General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said its MPs must be firm and resolute in their contributions to the committee and ensure that such nominees are held responsible for their statements.
The party gave the order in a statement issued after an emergency meeting held in Accra on Monday, March 1, 2021.
“The meeting discussed among other things, the ongoing vetting of ministerial nominees and urged the NDC Parliamentary caucus to be firm and resolute in their duties on the Appointment Committee.
“It urged them to reject insincere apologies rendered by some of the nominees at the Vetting Committee sittings and hold them responsible for their actions and/or statements which violate the obligations imposed on Public Office Holders by the 1992 Constitution,” statement said.
There are 13 NDC MPs on the Appointments Committee and they all voted against the three.
However, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu who is also on the Committee has maintained that their decision is not politically motivated.