The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has commended its Members of Parliament (MPs) for voting massively to approve the ministerial nominees of the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and two Justices for the Supreme Court.
The party also commended the National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmakers who also voted in support of the nominees.
“Kudos to our gallant MPs for standing firmly behind the Government and ensuring that the President’s nominees for Ministers of State and Deputy Minister as well as for the Supreme Court were approved! The nation is also grateful to the brave NDC MPs who stood for #GhanaFirst,” the party tweeted.
On Friday, March 24, 2023, Parliament, through a secret ballot, approved all the ministerial nominees of President Akufo-Addo.
The Speaker, Alban Bagbin after the ballot said “Honourable Members, at long last collation of votes has ended. The register of 275 eligible voters, 3 voters were absent so 272 did exercise their franchise. The results of the voting are as follows: Honourable KT Hammond 154 Yes, 116 Nos, rejected 1; Bryan Acheampong, 167 Yes, 98 Nos, rejected 4, abstention 3; Stephen Asamoah Boateng 147 Yes, 122 Nos, 3 abstentions; Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam 152 Yes, 117 Nos, rejected 1, abstentions 2; Osei Bonsu Amoah 149 Yes, 120 Nos, abstentions 3; Dr. Stephen Amoah 146 Yes, 123 Nos, 3 abstentions.
“The House has accordingly approved the nominations of the following persons as ministers and a deputy minister in accordance with 79(1) of the constitution, Honourable KT Hammond, Bryan Acheampong, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Osei Bonsu Amoah and Dr. Stephen Amoah”, he added.
Mr. K.T. Hammond, MP for Adansi Asokwa, was approved as the Minister of Trade and Industry and Bryan Acheampong, MP for Abetifi, as the Minister of Food and Agriculture.
The rest were Stephen Asamoah Boateng for Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State at Ministry of Finance; Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah, MP for Akuapem South as Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development; and Dr. Stephen Amoah, MP for Nhyiaeso as Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.
Supreme Court Judges
Parliament also approved the nomination of Justice George Kingsley Koomson and Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, for appointment as Justices of the Supreme Court.
Justice Kingsley Koomson, had 139 “Yes” votes while 133 voted “No”. Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu also had 138 “Yes” votes and 134 “No” votes.
Prior to the vote there was heated exchanges regarding the report of the Appointments Committee on the recent vetting of the nominees.
While the Majority pressed home the demand for the report to be taken on Thursday evening, the Minority members on the Committee denied knowledge of the report, asking for more time to study it.
This led the House to suspend proceedings to allow the Minority Group study the 63-page report for the debate.
After the debate, Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin postponed putting the question on the motion for the approval or otherwise of the nominees.
“The question will be put tomorrow Friday, March 24. I proceed to accordingly adjourn the House till tomorrow at 10 in the forenoon.
