The Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu, has reacted to news of minority Members of Parliament’s Appointment Committee’s rejection of some ministerial nominees.
According to the Bekwai MP who is also the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, the committee has no such powers.
Joe Wise made the remarks as the vetting continued on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, after the minority side on Monday rejected three nominees with five others deferred.
He argued that the Committee can only make recommendations for a decision to be taken by Parliament.
“This committee has no power to reject anybody and let’s make it clear. Our duty is to make recommendations to the house which the house may accept or refuse. If we understand that it will influence our decisions,” he said.
Going further, he urged members to work together, adding it’s what he has come to learn and understand through training.
“We are supposed to make a decision as a committee which is intended for the House [Parliament]. Sometimes, people say I am too strict but truly that is my training and these are the rules we go by.
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“So please let us work as a team and as a committee. We can always agree to disagree that’s why it is a democracy but we should not take out of here matters which have not been decided by the committee and discuss as if it is a committee decision,” he urged.
Information Minister-designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson and Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto have been rejected for various reasons.
Those deferred are Communications Minister nominee, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful; Railways Minister nominee, John Peter Amewu; Roads Minister nominee, Kwasi Amoako-Attah; Attorney-General and Minister of Justice nominee, Godfred Dame and Health Minister nominee, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.