Ghana Parliament approves designated ministers except Ayariga

Parliament on Thursday approved the nomination of eight persons for ministerial appointments, excluding Mr. Mahama Ayariga.

The committee decided that Mr. Ayariga the nominee  for the position of Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry would be considered in due course.

Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr. Martin Amidu, Minister of the Interior, Mr. John Akologu Tia, Minister of Information, and Mr. Alban Samenu Bagbin, Minister of Works and Housing, were those who received the nod of Parliament after a heated debate on the floor of the House that there was no nominee from the Western Region.

The rest of the designated ministers are Mr. John Gyetuah, Minister of State at the Presidency, Mr. Moses Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister and Mr. Inusah Abdulai Fuseini, Deputy Minister of Energy.

Contributing to the debate Mr. Papa Owusu Ankoma Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekondi said the Western Region deserved better from the National Democratic Congress and challenged President Evans Atta Mills to take a bold step to correct the omission.

Mr. Joe Ghartey member for Esikadu/Ketan in his contribution quoted article 35 section six (b) of the 1992 Constitution which stated that “the state shall take appropriate measures to achieve reasonable and gender balance in the recruitment and appointment to public offices.”

He said the Western Region contributed a lot to national development by giving out cocoa, bauxite, manganese and the currently the oil reserves of the country.

Mr. Daniel Botwe, MP for Okere said the constant change in the information minister was the best for the country.

He said the Information Ministry regarded as a propaganda unit of government was now used as a unit which give and receive information of national interest.

For this reason he said the position was only reserved for sharp-tongued orators that could project government’s achievement.

He said institutions like the Ghana News Agency and Information Service Department should be strengthened to assist the Information Ministry to achieve its purpose.

Source: GNA