The Ministry for Gender, Children and Social Protection may soon have a substantive Minister and a Deputy, barring any parliamentary block.
According to a statement by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, yesterday, President Akufo-Addo nominated Adwoa Safo’s deputy, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, as the substantive Minister, and Francisca Oteng Mensah as the Deputy.
The Eugene Arhin press release yesterday added that, “The President is hopeful that Parliament will expedite the approval of his nominees for this important Ministry, so they can assist in the effective delivery of his mandate for his second term in office.”
However, Parliament has risen sine die, and is expected to reconvene in the third week of October, unless there is an urgent need, which the leader of Government Business, Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, hinted.
Though he was not emphatic about which Ministry would bring the House back ahead of schedule, it does not look like the Speaker would convene an emergency sitting, considering the cost, only to approve these nominations.
Meanwhile, the nominees are to be referred to the Appointments Committee for vetting and report to the Plenary with its recommendations for the final decision to be taken on them.
ABOUT LARIBA ABUDU
Lariba Zuweira Abudu is a native of Janga-Fio in Northern Ghana. She was born on Thursday, May 12, 1966 to Mr. Abudu, an Educationist and a Chief of Fio Traditional Area.
She is the sitting Member of Parliament for the Walewale Constituency on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Before becoming the Deputy Minister for Gender, she was the deputy Chief Executive officer of the Northern Development Authority, appointed in 2018 by President Akufo-Addo.
ABOUT FRANCISCA OTENG-MENSAH
Francisca Oteng-Mensah is the Member of Parliament for the Kwabre East constituency. Francisca was born at Mamponteng, Ashanti Region on February 14, 1993, to Mrs. Joyce Oteng and Dr. Oteng Gyasi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Angel Group of Companies.
She was known as the youngest parliamentarian in the Fourth Republic of Ghana at the time of her election in 2016.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws – LLB from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.
APPOINTMENTS
The appointments of the duo followed the revocation of the appointment of the then substantive Minister, Sarah Adwoa Safo, who had been on leave for close to a year.
Though Jubilee House granted her initial leave and the subsequent extension, no reason was given for the revocation of the appointment.
Meanwhile, in accordance with the constitution, the President, who is the appointing authority, is not obliged to explain the reason behind his appointments.
