Parliament approves Akufo-Addo’s new ministerial appointees

This approval followed a walkout by the Minority Caucus of Parliament during a debate in the House on the approval of the new ministerial and deputy ministerial appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The walkout occurred after the Chairman of the Appointment Committee of Parliament and 1st Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, moved a motion for the House to approve the report of the committee on the appointments, which was approved by its members by a majority decision.

The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, argued that his side could not take part in the decision to approve Akufo-Addo’s appointees.

“Let the records reflect that the NDC majority process cannot be part of this approval process to further increase the size of this government. Mr. Speaker, let the record reflect.

“With these few words, Mr. Speaker, I want to signal that we are walking out and let it be recorded that they took this decision themselves; we are not part of it. Mr. Speaker, we have counted their numbers already, and we know the numbers,” he said before leading his members to leave the floor of Parliament.

The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin after announcing that the motion for the approval of the appointees had been passed; listed the as follows.

1. Andrew Egyapa Mercer, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture

2. Lydia Seyram Alhassan, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources

3. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development

4. Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation

5. Darkoa Newman, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection

6. Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, Minister for Health

7. Titus Glover, Minister for the Greater Accra Region

8. Fatimatu Abubakar, Minister for Information

9. Daniel Machator, Minister for Oti Region

10. Dr. Benjamin Sekyere Yeboah, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection

11. Sylvester Tetteh, Deputy Minister for Information

12. Charles Acheampong, Deputy Minister-designate for the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation

13. Adelaide Ntim, Deputy Minister for Health

14. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Deputy Minister for Health

15. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development

16. John Kobina Sanie, Deputy Minister for Energy

17. Collins Adomako Mensah, Deputy Minister for Energy

18. Dr. Prince Hamidu Armah, Deputy Minister for Works and Housing

19. Kingsley Nyarko, Deputy Minister for Education

20. Festus Awuah Kwofie, Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour

21. Akwasi Konadu, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources

22. Musah Abdul Aziz Ayaba, Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development