Is Mahama manipulating Parliament with vetting of ministerial nominees which breached Standing Orders - Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

A former Majority Leader In Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has criticised last Monday's vetting of three ministerial nominees by the Appointment Committee of Parliament.

According to the former Member of Parliament for Suame, the vetting process violated Parliament's Standing Orders, which govern such exercises.

On Monday, January 13, 2025, President Mahama's first set of ministerial nominees, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, John Jinapor, and Dr. Dominic Ayine for Finance, Energy and Green Transition, and Attorney General and Minister of Justice respectively, were vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

The committee announced that it had decided to waive the one—to two-week period for advertising the nominees and allowing the public to submit information on them.

But in an interview with Wontumi TV, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the veteran legislator argued that the necessary conditions for the vetting had not been met, rendering the process flawed.

He raised issues with the composition of the panel that did the vetting.

When a president nominates someone, the Appointment Committee meets, draws a timetable, and the nomination is advertised in the newspapers. Anyone with concerns about the nominee may raise them. Depending on the urgency, the two-week time frame could be shortened to a week, allowing anyone with objections to submit a petition. However, none of these procedures were followed in this case. "Is it the case that John Mahama wants to manipulate Parliament, which is why he's doing this?" Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu asked.

"Initially, we had a permanent Appointment Committee, just like other committees in Parliament. Now, the Appointment Committee is more fluid, but we have about nine permanent members, with others added. The current Standing Orders, under Order 217, specify who should constitute the Appointment Committee. This is why I say it is fluid.

"The chairperson, ranking member, and two other members from the relevant subject matter standing or select committees should join the Appointment Committee to consider the person nominated by the president for positions such as Chief Justice, Supreme Court judges, ministers, etc. So, those added to the Appointment Committee, for instance, from the Finance Committee, should include the chairman, the vice chairman, and two more members from the Finance Committee.

"But as we speak, the Finance Committee has not been formed. So, how did they meet to vet the nominee for the Ministry of Finance? This whole exercise is a breach of the Standing Orders. Similarly, with the Attorney General's nominee, the required members of the committee were present, but four members from the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee were supposed to join the Appointment Committee, yet that committee has not been established. So how did they assemble to vet the nominees? The same applies to the Energy Committee."

He continued: "Furthermore, when a president nominates someone, the Appointment Committee meets, draws a timetable, and the nomination is advertised in the newspapers. Anyone with concerns about the nominee may raise them. Depending on the urgency, the two-week time frame could be shortened to a week, allowing anyone with objections to submit a petition. However, none of these procedures were followed in this case. "Is it the case that John Mahama wants to manipulate Parliament, which is why he's doing this?" Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu asked.