Political Scientist and Head of the Centre for European Studies at the University of Ghana Dr. Kwame Asah Asante, has shared his observations on the ongoing vetting of deputy ministerial nominees by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
He examined how the current process compares to past vetting exercises, critiqued the way nominees handle scrutiny over their past statements, and questioned the relevance of the deputy ministerial position in Ghana’s governance structure.
Dr. Asah Asante acknowledged the difficulty in making direct comparisons between different appointments committees, stating that each vetting session brings unique characteristics to the fore. However, he noted that some patterns remain consistent over time.
Despite these similarities, he observed that the current vetting process has a notable trend—nominees being confronted with their past statements and positions.
Dr. Asah Asante pointed out that a key aspect of the current vetting process is the questioning of nominees about their previous public statements.
“People are confronted with their past—things they’ve said—which the minority feel need to be tested to see whether they still stand by them. There’s nothing wrong with that. If you are a student of history, you will come across the definition that history is a dialogue between the present and the past. That in mind, there is nothing wrong with going to somebody’s past and seeing whether they still believe in their convictions.’’
Dr. Kwame Asah Asante Political Scientist
However, he expressed disappointment in how some nominees quickly backtrack when their past statements are challenged. He cited the case of Armah Kofi Buah and Dr. Clement Apaak, who appeared to retreat from their previous positions under scrutiny.
“People make very interesting statements, and obviously, the minority and the previous government were not happy about them. When confronted, they quickly chicken out. That for me, is a low point. If you believe in your conviction, you should be able to stand your ground and damn the consequences. I am not seeing that in this type of vetting.”
Dr. Kwame Asah Asante Political Scientist
Dr. Asah Asante referenced historical precedents where politicians retracted controversial statements during vetting.
“You recall Madam Betty Mould-Iddrisu at a point described the court as a ‘kangaroo court.’ Later, when her party won the election, and she was nominated as Attorney General, she was confronted in Parliament and she said it was just ‘political talk.’ So, my understanding is that in politics, people can lie to us, say all manner of things, and get away with it. Is that the case?”
“I want people to believe in what they say and damn the consequences. A man is one who dies on his own dagger. When they chicken out at the eleventh hour, I find it very unfortunate.’’
Dr. Kwame Asah Asante Political Scientist
Relevance of Deputy Ministerial Positions
Dr. Asah Asante also raised fundamental concerns about the necessity of deputy ministerial positions in Ghana’s governance structure.
“We should abolish the position of deputy minister. Why am I saying this? If you look at the vetting process, you realize that the nominees always say, ‘Oh, I will have a dialogue with my minister, and whatever he says, I will go with it.’ This means they can’t make any decisions on their own because they are subordinate to their ministers.’’
Dr. Kwame Asah Asante Political Scientist
He elaborated on the hierarchy within the executive, pointing out that even non-cabinet ministers have limited authority, making the position of deputy minister even less significant.
To support his argument, he pointed out that the civil service structure already provides for continuity in leadership within ministries, making deputy ministers redundant.
Dr. Asah-Asante proposed that if Ghana decides to maintain the deputy ministerial position, the vetting process should be scrapped, as it serves little purpose.
“Most of the questions posed to deputy minister nominees do not yield meaningful answers because the ultimate responsibility lies with the [substantive] minister. For that matter, deputies cannot make very emphatic statements. So, what’s the point?
“If we want to maintain the position, let them go through security checks. If they are okay, we don’t need vetting. They are not going to give us something they can call their own anyway.”
Dr. Kwame Asah Asante Political Scientist
Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante’s observations present a strong critique of the current vetting process and the deputy ministerial role. He highlighted the issue of political inconsistency, where nominees abandon their past positions for the sake of appointments.
His comments add to the broader national debate on political accountability and the effectiveness of Ghana’s governance structures.
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