Approval Of Ministers, SC Justice: Voting Stalled After ‘Objection’ By Majority Leadership

The voting by Members of Parliament to approve the six ministerial nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and two nominees for the Supreme Court of Ghana has stalled.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, stopped the procedure after both sides of the House failed to agree on voting.

The Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, proposed that minority caucus members of parliament (MPs) move from their side of the House to cast their ballot in the voting booth in front of the majority caucus while the majority caucus MPs move to the booth in front of the minority.

However, this suggestion was rejected by the Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, who accused the majority caucus of engaging in antics because they did not have the numbers to win the vote.

Alban Bagbin, who was bewildered by the lack of trust between the MPs, stopped the voting and called for a meeting with the leadership of the House.

The House was set to vote on the approval of the nominees after a debate on the report of the Appointments Committee was completed.

The Supreme Court nominees who are to be approved are George Kingsley Koomson, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, Justice of the High Court.

Also, the ministerial nominees seeking approval are Kobina Tahiru Hammond (MP for Adansi Asokwa) as the Minister of Trade and Industry and Bryan Acheampong (MP for Abetifi) as the Minister of Food and Agriculture.

Other nominees include Stephen Asamoah Boateng for the Ministry of Chieftaincy, Mohammed Amin Adam for the Ministry of Finance, and Osei Bonsu Amoah for the Ministry of Local Government.

Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, was also appointed a Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.