The Minority in parliament through their deputy leader, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah is kicking against the hasty manner in which parliament is being called to ensure that the president’s nominee; Herbert Krapah is vetted and approved as a Minister of State at the Ministry of Energy.
The Speaker of Parliament read the President’s request to the House on Wednesday, July 3.
“In view of the exceptionally heavy workload now attendant at the ministry, it has become necessary to appoint a Minister of State at the Ministry in the person of Honourable Herbert Krapah who is currently a deputy minister. I would be extremely grateful if Parliament acts expeditiously on this request to enable a full complement of the ministers and deputy ministers to undertake their important functions as soon as possible,” portions of the President’s letter to the MPs read.
However,deputy minority leader speaking to the press on Thursday,4 July, lamented that this new announcement was made appointing another minister at the ministry of energy,while the sitting minister is in place with implications on already suffering Ghanaians.
“Clearly showing that President Akufo and his people are telling Ghanaians that they don’t care about what you are going through”he said
The Elembelle legislator further explained that the procedures of parliament are being disregarded,since parliament’s standing orders 217(10)requires that any nomination by the president must go through a process which includes advertisements in a public newspaper .
“With the bloated size, today in parliament, leader of the house pleaded with the speaker to disregard our standing orders 217(10) that says that any nomination by the president will go through a process,but will have to be advertised in a public newspaper and receive public memorandum on any findings on the nominee,yet that has not been done.
Mr. Buah additionally quizzed government on the rush to appoint the said nominee as a Minister of state at the same ministry he is a deputy for.
“And the practice in this house is that we advertise that for two weeks,why are we rushing,the nominee is already the deputy minister for energy,and the minister is still in place so there is no point in rushing and circumventing our processes in parliament”
He called for the right thing to be done.