Be tough on Ministerial Nominees -Effiduase MP charges Vetting Committee

The Member of Parliament for Effiduase Asokore in the Ashanti Region, Hon. Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, has urged the Appointment Committee to be mindful of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s promise of making sure that there will be value for money in all government projects and spend ample time questioning the ministerial nominees to find out whether they are prepared to protect the public purse.

Speaking on Oman FM ahead of the vetting of the ministerial nominees scheduled for Friday, 20 January, 2016 Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, advised the Appointments Committee to put the interest of the country first by properly scrutinizing the nominees to establish their intent of coming into government before approving them.

“As an economist my interest is about cost effectiveness so I expect the Appointments Committee to put the interest of Ghana first because at the inaugural speech President Nana Akufo-Addo assured Ghanaians that he will protect the public purse by ensuring that there is value for money,” he said.

“I expect the appointment committee to be tough on the nominees,” he added.

He noted that one of the major problems which the country faced with during the previous administration was about inflating of cost of projects.

Dr. Nana Afriyie who accused immediate past NDC administration of looting the nation’s resources claimed that greater parts of the monies government invested in developmental projects ended up in the pockets of government officials and their cronies.

“The massive level of corruption that occurred during the Mills/Mahama administration was in the area of award of contracts. The NDC government deliberately inflated cost of projects and pocketed greater parts of the monies,” he alleged.

He emphasized on the need for the new administration to curtail the practice saying, “we must do whatever we can to ensure that there is value for money in the award of government contracts.”

The Appointment Committee, chaired by First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, will from Friday, January 20, 2016 vet the Senior Minister-designate Yaw Osafo Marfo, National Security Minister-designate Albert Kan-Dapaah, Finance Minister-designate Ken Ofori-Atta and Defence Minister-designate Dominic Nitiwul on the first day.

Attorney-General & Justice Minister-designate Gloria Akufo and Minister-designate for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, will also take their turn on Saturday, January 21, 2016.

On Monday, 23 January, the Committee will have the chance to vet Minister-designate of Local Government & Rural Development Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister-designate of Trade and Industry Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Minister-designate of Agriculture Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Minister-designate of Energy, Boakye Agyarko.

Story By: Michael Creg Afful

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