Appointments Committee To Roll Out Modalities For Deputy Ministers’ Vetting

The Appointments Committee of Parliament is set to roll out the modalities and the schedule for the vetting of the various Deputy Ministerial nominees.

The President last week submitted a list of Deputy Ministers to Parliament for vetting and approval.

Even though Parliament is on recess, leaders of the House gave their consent to the Speaker and the Committee to begin work in earnest on any list of nominees before the House returns from recess on May 18, 2021.

Before the Appointments Committee commences public hearings, it is expected to invite petitions and memoranda on the nominees from the general public.

In all, 39 deputy ministers were appointed under 24 portfolios.

Ten of the nominees are women.

The list also featured first-time Members of Parliament like Hassan Tampuli and John Ampontuah Kumah.

A number of Ministers also maintained their portfolios from President Akufo-Addo’s first term, including Abena Osei-Asare at the Finance Ministry, Mohammed Amin Adam, William Owuraku Aidoo at the Energy Ministry, Osei Bonsu Amoah at the Local Government, Decentralisation & Rural Development and Tina Mensah at the Health Ministry, among others.

A statement from the presidency indicated that President Akufo-Addo was hopeful that, “just as was done for his Ministers, Parliament will, on a bi-partisan basis, expedite the approval of his Deputy Ministerial nominees, so they can join the Government forthwith, and assist in the delivery of his mandate for his second term in office.”