Prof. Ransford Gyanpo, a Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, has shared his perspective on the ministerial nominees appointed by President John Mahama.
He suggested that there may be other capable individuals, who are not widely known, that could be discovered and brought on board, while making it clear that he is not questioning the competence or ability of the nominees.
Prof. Gyampo expressed confidence that the President, fully aware of the trust and mandate given to him by the people, has assessed these individuals and believes they are the right ones to support his leadership.
“And so I want to respect that what he [President Mahama] sees we don’t see. But like I said I’m looking for more people. I’m looking for some new faces who wow me because these faces, I know. And so I’m looking for other appointments that will be all-inclusive.
“Not all the people who can help in governance of Ghana are located in the NDC. And so they should move out and bring on board others. Some may be abroad, let us bring them down, because they are a part of Ghana’s human resource capital”.
Prof. Ransford Gyanpo
Gyampo further stated that individuals who can contribute to Ghana’s governance may be found in civil society, academia, or other sectors.
He emphasized the importance of bringing all of them on board to ensure that the nation’s human resources are effectively utilized to govern in a way that meets the high expectations of the Ghanaian people.
The political scientist remarked that he has no concerns regarding the nominees appointed by the President so far.
According to him, some of these nominees demonstrated even greater competence than expected when they were being vetted by the Appointment Committee. “I don’t think I have issues with them”.
Highlighting specific examples, Gyampo mentioned that he was pleasantly surprised by Kwame Agbodza, the nominee for the Ministry of Roads, noting his impressive knowledge in the field.
He also praised Idrissu Harina for his oratory skills and how well he performed.
Regarding Ato Forson, the nominee for the Ministry of Finance, Gyampo described him as an excellent, level-headed individual who would make decisions in the best interest of Ghana.
Higher Parliamentary, Committee Standards Urged
However, Prof. Ransford Gyampo pointed out a challenge with the composition of the Appointments Committee.
He questioned the qualifications of Members of Parliament, and by extension, the qualifications of those on the appointments and voting committee.
He noted that the low standards for entering Parliament result in a committee composed of individuals who may not meet higher expectations for such an important role.
“And some of the questions that some people asked, in my view, were not good enough to elicit the right information from the nominees.
“And so as we review our constitution, and as we practice our democracy, we may want to look at the qualification to go into parliament, and then the composition of the appointment process”.
Prof. Ransford Gyanpo
Accordingly, Prof. Gyampo emphasized the importance of having individuals with technocratic expertise on the Appointments Committee.
He suggested that these experts could assess the technical qualifications of the nominees, ensuring that they are well-versed in the specifics of the ministries they are set to serve.
By having a committee that can rigorously evaluate applicants based on their technical knowledge, the process would be more thorough.
He noted that if a nominee is approved after such a thorough evaluation, it would be clear that they have genuinely demonstrated competence.
In contrast, he expressed concern that if the committee lacks this technical understanding, it risks approving nominees who may not be adequately equipped to handle the complexities of the ministry they are assigned to.
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