Vetting and Approval of Minister Nominees Should Not Be Business As Usual – Garu MP Urges

Member of Parliament (MP) for Garu Constituency in the Upper East Region, Mr Albert Akuka Alalzuuga is urging members of the Appointments Committee of Parliament to ensure that only good and worthy individuals are approved to hold positions of trust.

According to him, the composition of the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana presents the house with the finest opportunity to show to the world that Parliament is not an appendage of the appointing authority.

Mr Alalzuuga said this during a panel discussion on Gtv’s morning show on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.

The Garu lawmaker was of view that the 2021 vetting of minister nominees should not be business as usual as it has been the case in some times past.

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With the current crop of minister nominees, members of the committee have enough on their plates to give a fair judgment on each nominee to ascertain whether they are worthy to hold public portfolio or not.

At least from the list of nominees we have seen, most of them served in the immediate past government and their track records are there for all to see. So there shouldn’t be any difficulties assessing them based on their performance.

From where I sit, I don’t think all the nominees should be approved like we have been witnesses to in the past”.

The MP for Garu explained that during vetting process in past, one could tell clearly that there are some fundamental weaknesses displayed by some nominees but ironically these nominees get through to become ministers because their party  has the numbers to push them through.

They are aware the committee haven’t disqualified anybody before and whatever happens it will go down to a vote and he or she will be through anyway but this narrative should change henceforth”, he said.

Mr Alalzuuga therefore appealed to his colleagues on the committee to take nominees through “technical matters to show whether they are qualified to lead the ministries they are assigned to.

On the issue of the surge in the Covid-19 infections, the Garu lawmaker pleaded with the public to observed to the latter all the Covid-19 protocols to avoid the spread of the disease.

He also used the opportunity to appeal to his constituents to abide by the directive given by the Paramount Chief of the Kusaasi Traditional area, Zugrana Azoka Abugraugo II to put the performances of all funeral rites on hold until the COVID 19 declined.