The Minority in Parliament has accused the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, of bias and partisanship during the recent vetting of ministerial nominees.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Dr. Gideon Boako, the Member of Parliament for Tano North, alleged that the Chairman’s conduct obstructed a diligent and thorough vetting process. “Ladies and gentlemen, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee was the first real obstacle to a diligent vetting of the ministerial nominees,” Dr. Boako stated.
He further alleged that the Chairman displayed a protective attitude towards the nominees, hindering the committee’s ability to conduct proper scrutiny.
“He denied the Ghanaian people and the Minority members of the committee the opportunity to conduct a thorough vetting of the nominees. He was protective of the nominees and extremely partisan,” Dr. Boako emphasized.
Dr. Boako cited specific instances where the Chairman allegedly shouted at committee members, attempting to suppress their line of questioning.
He highlighted the case of Abena Osei-Asare, the Member of Parliament for Atiwa East, who was allegedly shouted at by the Chairman while attempting to ask a legitimate question. “The Chairman denied legitimate members of the committee the opportunity to ask relevant questions and railroaded the nominees through the process,” he added.
The Minority defended their protest against the Chairman’s conduct, describing it as a necessary stand for parliamentary oversight.
“Under the façade of a lack of capacity, he disregarded the fact that those he bullied were Members of Parliament and that the committee is a sub-body of the House,” Dr. Boako emphasized.
In addition to criticizing the Chairman’s conduct, Dr. Boako also expressed disappointment with the performance of Finance Minister-designate, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, during his vetting. He described Dr. Forson’s responses as evasive, inconsistent, and lacking clarity of thought.
“Hon. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, who appeared as the Finance Minister-designate, was evasive, inconsistent, and lacked clarity of thought,” Dr. Boako remarked. “Having served as a Deputy Minister of Finance and a Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, one would have expected his answers to be forthright and to exude concrete solutions.”
Dr. Boako specifically criticized Dr. Forson’s inability to provide a definitive answer regarding the government’s promise to cover the first-year tuition fees of tertiary students.
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