Mahama Ayariga, a Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, has threatened to vote against the nominees set to appear before Parliament’s Appointments Committee today as he has not received handling over notes despite several attempts to get them.
With the vetting of Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and Albert Kan-Dapaah, the ministers’ designates for Health and National Security respectively scheduled for today, Wednesday, February 10, 2021, Mr. Ayariga said he wants the vetting rescheduled to 48 hours after he receives the notes if he is to change his mind.
The Ministers’ designates will face an even Vetting and Appointments Committee of thirteen Majority and Minority members apiece.
“I hereby serve notice that my demand for Handing Over Notes pursuant to the Presidential Transition Act has not been met in relation to the two nominees appearing before the Committee today.
“I have said publicly on several media in the last two weeks that I will only vet them if I have their Handing Over Notes which should be a comprehensive record of their work in the last four years. Given that I have not received the Handing Over Notes, despite several efforts on my part, I hereby announce my decision to vote against the two nominees appearing before us today, unless I am given hard or electronic copies of the Handing Over Notes and their vetting is rescheduled to 48 hours after receipt of the Handing Over Notes.
Mahama Ayariga
According to the Bawku Central legislator, it is high time “we take our sacred constitutional duties seriously” in order for those set to appear before the Committee “may consider us serious”.
“If this does not happen, I hereby inform the Chairman to record my votes on the nominees appearing before the Committee today as NO for both nominees”.
The handing over notes from nominees are required, per the Presidential Transition Act. These notes are to be sent to the Administrator-General, Parliament, the Chief Justice, the Council of State and the Public Records and Archives and Administration Department.
The Committee will be chaired, for the second time in a row, by First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu, who also doubles as the MP for Bekwai Constituency. Ranking Member, is Tamale South MP and Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, who is also assuming that role for the second consecutive time.
The Committee is expected to finish its work within the next three weeks – a period the main plenary will not be sitting as a result of Covid-19 due to the suspension of Parliamentary sitting.
Meanwhile, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority group Leader, in the ongoing vetting process, has assured the Speaker of not going on any “witch-hunting” expedition. He however, used the opportunity to indulge government to set limit for the President and future Presidents on the size of government for Ghana “generally to protect the public purse”.
“What I find striking is that in the President’s nomination… the Upper East Region and the Oti Region are conspicuously lost in the long list of twenty seven ministers so far communicated”.
