Parliament has approved by consensus six ministerial nominees of President John Dramani Mahama. The nominees approved include Dr. Ato Forson, John Jinapor, and Dr. Dominic Ayine for the positions of ministers for Finance, Energy and Attorney General and Minister for Justice.
The rest are Kwame Governs Agbodza for Roads and Highways, Eric Opoku for Food and Agriculture and Haruna Iddrisu for the ministry of Education.
The parliamentary approval was given on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 following the adoption of the two separate reports of the Appointments Committee on the vetting of these ministers-designate.
The motions for the adoption of the committee’s reports, moved by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, were seconded by the Ranking Member, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, who was in the Speaker’s chair, allowed submissions from members on the report, which recommended approval of the House by consensus.
Members from both sides described the nominees in very profound manner, urging the House to approve all of them.
“Honourable members, at the conclusion of the debate, as many as are in favour of the motion listed in today’s order paper say Aye; all those against say No. Honourable members, it is obvious the Ayes have it.
“The motion is here adopted. And that this Honourable House has adopted” the President’s nominations as minister-designate for the Office of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice,” the Speaker announced for the first part.
DEBATE
The competences of all six were not in dispute, as all those who made comments alluded to that fact, particularly as some were deputy ministers and now to be substantive ministers, pending swearing in by the president.
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, in seconding the two reports separately, indicated that his side would hold the feet of the ministers and by extension the government to fire.
He raised concerns about the promise of free first year tertiary education, the taxes promised to be abolished, the energy sector and reminded government not to relent on its promises.
“We will hold your feet to the fire. You say we are micro-minority. You will see. When you were on the campaign promising, you thought it was just that, now you are in government. Very soon Ghanaians will see the true picture,” the Effutu MP put the majority on notice.
The Members of Parliament for Pusiga, LaadiAyiiAyamba and Cape Coast South Kweku Rickett-Hagan, indicated that the minister-designate for finance would excel in his position, particularly to deal with the E-levy.
On his part, he said he had confidence in the three nominees that the president had appointed and had no doubt that they would excel.
“I would only say that they should not disappoint when given the nod. Mr. Speaker, thank you,” he added.
The Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, while urging the House to approve the nominees, stated that the finance minister, if approved, should not abolish the e-levy and betting tax and “introduce new ones or rename new ones.”
The Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kwabena Okyere-Darko-Mensah, while urging the House to also approve John Jinapor for the Energy Ministry, his prayer was that “dumsor does not come back.”
He said the Attorney General nominee was competent enough to assume the position he had been appointed for. The Member of Parliament for Tano South, Dr. Gideon Boako, spoke highly of the competences of the nominees.
On the finance minister-designate, he reminded him that he was going to take investment decisions, financing decisions and budgeting decisions. He indicated that as a country, “we need to enter into a contract with value for money for the country.”
He mentioned that the loan for the Terminal 3 project was with over 8% interest, but the previous government of Akufo-Addo renegotiated to 5%. He mentioned the Pokuase Interchange and others.
The Member for Parliament for Bosomtwe, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, in his submission indicated that Ghanaians look forward to the government fulfilling the promise of free tertiary education. He urged the government that considering that people had already applied on the assurances of free first year fees, if the government is committed to its promise, should direct the tertiary schools to allow the student to start the school as it readies itself to pay the fees as promised, instead of asking the students to pay and be reimbursed later, as stated by the Education Minister-designate at his vetting.
Eric Edem Agbana, MP for Ketu North said that he was confident that the minister-designate for Roads and Highways would improve on road networks in Ghana, and thus should be approved.
The Member of Parliament for Assin South, John Ntim Fordjour, in urging the House to approve the nominees, also urged the minister-designate for Agriculture, Eric Opoku, to ensure that cocoa farmers are paid GH¢6,000 per bag as the government promised.
