Parliament has by consensus approved more deputy ministers–designate after the House adopted the seventh report of the Appointments Committee, submitted to the House.
They included Gifty Twum-Ampofo, Deputy Minister for Education-designate, whose approval was put on ice last Thursday.
Minority caucus earlier shot down the Appointments Committee of Parliament report, arguing that it (report) did not represent the voting pattern of members of the committee.
The nominees, who were approved, include Bright Wereko-Brobby, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations-designate, Michael Okyere Baafi and Herbert Krapah, Trade and Industry-designate and Mohammed Amin Adam, Deputy Minister of Energy-designate.
Others are Thomas Mbomba, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration-designate, Abdulai Abanga, Deputy Minister of Works and Housing-designate, Stephen Pambiin Jalula, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways-designate and Fatimah Abubakar, Deputy Minister of Information-designate.
The rest are Mark Okraku-Mantey, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture-designate, Mahama Asei Seini, Deputy Minister of Health-designate and Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, Deputy Minister-designate for Attorney-General and Justice.
Presenting the seventh report of the Appointments Committee, the Chairman, Joseph Osei-Owusu, said the differences that resulted in the upholding of Ms Twum-Ampofo’s approval had been ironed out.
According to Mr Osei-Owusu, MP, Bekwai, the nominees meet the eligibility criteria, exhibited knowledge about the areas they are being taken to help in the execution of government programmes and policies.
Seconding the motion, the Minority Leader and Ranking Member on the Committee, Haruna Iddrisu, said his side of the House has nothing against the nominees.
Mr Iddrisu, who is also MP for Tamale South, however, said he was not enthused about the ballooned numbers of workers under Mr Okyere Baafi when he was the Chief Executive Officer at the Free Zones Board.
He has in this regard tasked the Trade and Industry Committee to look into why the staff strength of the Board shot from 80 to 120.
Congratulating the nominees, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin entreated the deputy ministers-designate to repay the confidence reposed in them by the President.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI