The appointments of Emmanuel Bombande, John Oti Bless and Joseph Agmor Tetteh as deputy ministers-designate for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Local Government and Rural Development and the Eastern Region respectively have officially been communicated to parliament and referred to the Appointments Committee by the speaker, Edward Doe Adjaho.
The speaker, who conveyed the information of the new appointments yesterday, said the three nominees would be vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament as the Constitution demands and the recommendations brought to the plenary for approval.
The minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) however, was not enthused about the new appointments, saying that what was more important was for the president to have nominated a new minister of power to help resolve the current dumsor (erratic power supply) problems the country is facing.
The minority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, after the announcement of the new appointments, said President Mahama must be told not to bother parliament with appointments of deputy ministers but rather a substantive minister for power to help resolve the chronic power crisis.
“Mr speaker, I will crave your indulgence to tell the president to give the nation a power minister not deputy ministers,” the minority leader charged.
Most of the minority members also described the new appointments as ‘injury time’ appointments which would not have any effect on governance before the general election in November.
By Thomas Fosu Jnr