Tamale Central MP Murtala Muhammed has vowed he and his colleagues on the Minority side will do everything possible to ensure President Akufo-Addo’s new nominations to ministerial and other government posts do not get approval.
According to Murtala, not only are the Minority members determined that the government does not add to its already bloated size, the Minority will also ensure two other nominees to the Supreme Court, do not get approval.
There was a bitter standoff in Parliament on Friday as the Minority and Majority argued over whether or not voting on the nominees should proceed. While the Minority wanted it to proceed, the Majority called for a postponement.
Adansi Asokwa MP, Kobina Tahir Hammond has been nominated to head the Ministry of Trade and Industry, with Dr Stephen Amoah nominated for Deputy Minister-designate for Trade and Industry. Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong has been nominated for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
The Member of Parliament for Karaga, Mohammed Amin Adam, has been nominated as Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Herbert Krapah, a Deputy Minister at the Trade Ministry nominated as Deputy Minister for the Energy Ministry.
There is also the Member of Parliament for Akuapem South, Osei Bonsu Amoah, who has been nominated as Minister of State at the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry.
They have all been vetted and the Appointments Committee’s report on the vetting debated. The next step is the voting to either confirm or reject the nominees.
The Supreme Court nominees are Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu and Justice George Kingsley Koomson. Two others who were also nominated to the Supreme Court; Barbara Ackah-Yensu and Samuel Adibu Asiedu, have had their nominations approved by the House.
But speaking to Joy News Parliamentary Correspondent, Kwaku Asante in Parliament on Friday, March 24, 2023, Murtala Muhammed said the Minority will not okay the nominees.
‘It is very clear the NPP don’t have the numbers and that is why we are insisting that we will do the voting. We have finished with the debate. There is nothing more left to be done except we go ahead to vote. If they are confident of the numbers they have, why are they running away? They have more Members of Parliament than us. Why is it that they are running away? It is very clear you don’t need anybody to tell you they don’t have the numbers.
“Our 136 members, we are poised to vote in rejecting every single item they brought here. We are not going to cooperate with them on any issue. We are not going to cooperate with them. We’re not going to cooperate with them on the issue of the judges, the Supreme Court judges. We’re not going to cooperate with them on the issue of the ministers. We’re not going to cooperate with them on the issue of the taxes. If they have the numbers, let’s go and do the voting. If you think that you have more members than us. Let’s do the voting. Do you have the numbers on your side?
“All the 136 members are here present and we are all poised. We are going to vote in rejecting every single item these people bring to us. The people of this country should be concerned about these actions of these Members of Parliament. We also got information that some of them were willing to do once again, what Carlos Ahenkorah did. If they attempt it today, we’ll show them that it is not only one woman who gives birth to a very terrible child in the House.”
