By Iddi Yire/Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, March 24, GNA – Parliament has, by secret voting, approved all six persons nominated by President Akufo-Addo as ministers, ministers of State, and deputy minister.
The nomination of Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, Minister-designate for Trade and Industry; Mr Bryan Acheampong, Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, and Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister-designate for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has been approved.
The rest are Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State-designate at the Ministry of Finance; Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, Minister of State-designate at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, and Dr Stephen Amoah, Deputy Minister-Designate for Trade and Industry.
Of the 275 Chamber Parliament, three members were absent, hence 272 voted.
Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, in announcing the results of the secret ballot, declared that Mr Hammond had 154 “Yes” and 116 “No” votes, rejected one, and one abstention.
Mr Acheampong had 167 “Yes”, 98 “No” votes, rejected four, and abstentions three.
Mr Asamoah Boateng had 147 “Yes”, 122 “Nos”, and three abstentions.
Dr Adam: 152 “Yes”, 117 “Nos”, rejected one, and abstentions two.
Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah had 149 “Yes”, 120 “Nos”, and three abstentions
While Dr Amoah had 146 “yes”, 123 “nos”, and three abstentions.
Speaker Bagbin said the House, in accordance with Articles 78(1) and 79(1) of the 1992 Constitution, had accordingly approved the nominations of the six persons.
The absentee MPs include Mr James Gyakye Quayson, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North.
Mr Quayson’s absence was due to a court injunction restraining him from carrying himself as an MP.
The rest were Madam Sarah Adwoa Safo, New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Dome Kwabenya; and Mr Philip Atta Basoah, NPP MP for Kumawu.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, initially informed the Speaker that Mr Basoah was on his way to the House.
However, at the end of voting, the Majority Leader told the House that the information he had received indicated that Mr Basoah could not make it on time to cast his vote and, therefore, the House could proceed with the process.
As a result of Mr Quayson’s inability to participate the number of Minority MPs was reduce from 137 to 136.
The absence of Madam Safo and Mr Basoah resulted in the number of the Majority, including one independent MP, reduced from 138 to 136.
It would be recalled that the opposition NDC, in a statement dated February 19, directed its sitting MPs to reject the President’s ministerial nominees as part of efforts to reduce the size of the Government.
However, the outcome of the secret ballot shows that some opposition MPs defied their Party’s directive and voted for the President’s ministrial nominees.
GNA