Parliament approves 7 more ministerial appointees

Parliament has confirmed seven more of the President’s ministerial nominees, bringing the total appointees okayed to 24.

They are the Minister designate for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah; the Minister designate for the North East Region, Tia Ibrahim; the Minister designate for the Ashanti Region, Dr Frank Amoakohene, and the Minister designate for the Upper East Region, Akamugri Atanga Donatus.

The rest are the Minister of State designate for Special Initiatives, Emmanuel Kwadwo-Agyekum; the Minister designate for the Greater Accra Region, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, and the Minister designate for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei.

They were vetted by the 11-member committee last Monday and Tuesday.

Consensus

The House yesterday approved the nominees after the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, presented the committee’s seventh and eighth reports to the House.

He said the nominees demonstrated competence, knowledge and expertise on matters related to their respective ministries.

“The committee, therefore, recommended to the House by consensus the adoption of its report and approval of Mr Ibrahim, Dr Amoakohene and Mr Donatus.

“However, the Minority side opposed the approval of Mr Armah-Kofi Buah.

Therefore, the committee recommends to the House by majority decision, the approval of Honourable Armah-Kofi Buah as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources,” Mr Ahiafor said.

Beginning from January 21, 2025, the House has so far approved 24 of the President’s appointees.

They are the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson; the Minister of Energy, John Abdulai Jinapor, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine; the Minster of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza; the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, and the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku.

The others are the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim; the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, and the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare.

The rest are the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie; the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, as well as the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare-Addo.