Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini (NDC- Tamale North), has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo does not have the courage to refuse some of his appointees who could not perform in his first term, hence renominating them to hopefully serve in his second term.
According to him, the president’s attitude is a way of setting a trap for the Appointments Committee of Parliament to do the job that he, the president, could have done easily.
Speaking on Alhaji and Alhaji on Pan Africa TV, Suhuyini stated: “I think some of the nominees when I look through the list, the president is setting a trap. I think he doesn’t have the courage to refuse them an appointment. So, by the composition of parliament, he is hoping that parliament will do that job for him.”
He added: “It beats your imagination how some people made it on the list but I think our president does not have the courage to say, ‘I won’t appoint you’…so you see some names on the list and I think it is a trap; the president wants parliament to reject and then [console] and say, ‘I did my part but parliament didn’t accept you.”
Thus, in a sly manner, Akufo-Addo wants the Appointments Committee to refuse those nominees approval so that he may pass back to the Appointments Committee.
Suhuyini, who is a member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament hinted that the Minority Caucus in Parliament will be guided by what is in the national interest in vetting the president’s ministerial nominees.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on January 21, 2021, released almost the full list of his ministerial nominees – 46 in all – for his second term which began on 7 January, promising to add a few more names. That list excludes deputy ministers, but the president promised in a press release that the final list will not exceed 85.
Nineteen ministers have maintained their portfolios with others being kicked out.
Some deputy ministers also got elevated to substantive ministerial positions. For example, Professor Kwesi Yankah, then Minister of State at the Ministry of Education has been rejected whilst Dr. Yaw Adutwum, a former Deputy Education Minister is now the nominee for Minister of Education.
The Appointments Committee has a membership of 13 for NDC and 13 for NPP but the chairperson, Joe Osei Wusu (NPP- Bekwai) does not have an original vote if there is a tie.
