Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has called to question the ministry of Public Enterprises by demanding for clarity and describing the ministry as “non-existent” during the vetting of Minister-designate for Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe.
Citing the Executive Instrument (E.I.) 12 Civil Service Ministries Instrument 2021 which did not include the Public Enterprises Ministry, he objected to the vetting process by stating that, “within the meaning of E.I. 12, there is no Ministry for Public Enterprises”.
Mr. Iddrisu further argued further that the Presidency ought to provide “clarity and guidance” on the situation.
“My objection I think is fundamental. I would wish that you relate with the Presidency just to give us a formal official correspondence to enable us proceed. Even if it takes until midnight for the correspondence from the President, we will wait but as we proceed, there is no Ministry for Public Enterprise and our hands are tied because we should be assessing him based on the role he is going to play.”
Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu responded by saying he could not request clarity from the Presidency without the Speaker of Parliament’s consent.
“I don’t think I can go behind Mr. Speaker to speak to the Presidency on matters like this so, let’s proceed with what we can”.
After some deliberation by a section of members from the Committee and predicate on the Chairman’s ruling that the Committee can go ahead with the vetting and sort out the issue with the presidency later, the Tamale South MP said he wants to consult with his other colleagues in the Minority to decide what their next step will be if they don’t get “further and better particulars to proceed with the vetting”.
Additionally, he noted that the Minority does not intend to take part in further proceedings “until we receive satisfactory explanation from the office of the president.”
“Mr. Chairman, my application is before you, it is not my intention that we take sides in this national exercise but momentarily for honorable Cudjoe, our side will just sit and observe whilst we wait for clarity and better particulars”.
Haruna Iddrisu
Deputy Majority Leader Alex Afenyo-Markin, on his part expressed the need for the Minority to adhere to the instructions by Mr. Osei Owusu to proceed and sort the issue out later to which Mr. Iddrisu disagreed.
“I would want us to consider his nomination, not as one for the purposes of running a ministry”.
That notwithstanding, two members of the committee, Patrick Boamah and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, then suggested that the committee go off-camera, for ten minutes after which the committee went to consult in private.
Earlier, the nominee for the Public Enterprises Ministry, Mr. Joseph Cudjoe was asked by the Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, to enlighten the committee on what his mandate will be seeking to clarify.
Clarifying his portfolio, Mr. Cudjoe said his mandate is to ensure that Public Enterprises and Corporations run efficiently and effectively so they do not become a drain on government finances.
