Parliament has finally approved the ministerial nominees submitted to the House by President Akufo-Addo.
During a debate to consider whether or not the nominees should be approved on Friday, May 17, the Minority staged a walkout, stressing that they would not be part of the process.
According to Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the caucus is not in support of the approval of the nominees.
“Mr Speaker, the Minority does not support the nominations of these ministers, because of what the country has gone through and continues to go through, including economic crisis, food insecurity, “dumsor”, and reckless borrowing.
Businesses are struggling. While the government has asked Ghanaians to tighten their belts, the government has loosened its belts.
“Piling up ministers and deputies does not signal to the Ghanaians that the President understands the seriousness of the mess created,” he said.
Subsequently, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, suspended sitting for five minutes to allow tempers to cool.
However, only the Majority was seated when the House resumed sitting, and Mr Bagbin asked for a voice vote.
The Majority then voted in support of the approval of the ministerial nominees.
In his first major ministerial reshuffle since 2017, the President designated Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye as the Minister for Health; Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation went to Ophelia Mensah Hayford; Information is Ms. Fatimatu Abubakar, while Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister is Dakoa Newman.
He designated Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah as Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development; Sanitation and Water Resources went to Lydia Seyram Alhassan; Tourism, Arts and Culture to Andrew Egyapa Mercer, while Greater Accra Region and Oti Region went to Titus Glover and Daniel Machator respectively.
