Parliament approves Oppong Nkrumah, Hawa Koomson, Akoto, 10 other ministerial nominees
Thirteen ministerial nominees by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have been approved by Parliament. While 10 were approved by consensus, three were approved by a majority vote on the floor of the House Thursday dawn [March 4, 2021]. This was after an extensive debate on the recommendations made by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
The 10 who were approved by consensus were Albert Kan Dapaah for National Security; Dominic Nitiwul for Defence; Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum for Education; Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu for Parliamentary Affairs; Matthew Opoku Prempeh for Energy; Dan Botwe for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development; Ambrose Dery for Interior; Ignatius Baffuor Awuah, for Employment and Labour Relations and Sarah Adwoa Safo for Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Parliament sat deep into the night on Wednesday to decide the fate of three ministerial nominees after the Appointments Committee failed to arrive at a consensus. Those who were approved via voting per majority decision were Mavis Hawa Koomson for Fisheries and Aquaculture; Kojo Oppong Nkrumah for Information and Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto for Food and Agriculture. By majority decision the House voted to approve the trio.
Oppong Nkrumah polled 155 YES votes as against 110 NO votes representing 58.65% of total votes cast. Koomson had 161 YES votes as against 104 NO votes representing 60.75% of total votes cast while Akoto obtained 143 YES votes as against 121 NO votes representing 53.96% of total votes cast.
A total of 265 votes were cast.
