Akufo-Addo's Ministers Approved 'in Record Time'

By James Ayitey

Sunyani East Member of Parliament (MP) has denied claims that the sheer size of Akufo-Addo's deputy ministerial nominees made it impossible for the Appointment Committee to vet them before the House rises on March 31.

Kwasi Ameyaw Kyeremeh, who is also Majority Chief Whip says it will not be the first time Deputy Ministers will be vetted in May when MPs return from break.

On the contrary, the MP said Akufo-Addo's first batch of 36 ministers were vetted and approved in record time.

He was responding to claims by some members of the minority that the size of Akufo-Addo's ministerial appointees is to blame for the delay in the vetting and approval of the remaining 54 deputy ministerial nominees.

The Appointments Committee of Parliament was racing against time to have all 54 deputy ministerial appointees vetted and approved before the House will rise on March 31.

However, the House resolved to vet only 15 deputy ministers in key ministries together with the four ministers of state at the presidency.

The rest will then be vetted and approved when the House reconvenes in May.

In discussing the matter, Tamale Central MP Alhassan Suhuyini said the sheer size of the appointees announced by the president made it impossible for the Appointment Committee to vet all of them before going on break.

He did not understand why the president would appoint as many as 50 deputy ministers and four ministers of state at the presidency which will eventually bring the total number of government appointees to 110.

But in a response on Joy FM's Newsnite programme Kwasi Ameyaw Kyeremeh said the vetting of the Deputy Ministerial nominees is always done after MPs return from their break.

"It has nothing to do with the size of the appointment," he said, adding if anything the president and Parliament as a whole would have to be congratulated for the speedy manner in which the first batch of appointments was approved.

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