I Can't Send Committee's Matter To President Without Speaker's Knowledge - Joe Wise

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament who doubles as the Chairman of Parliament Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu a.k.a Joe Wise has told the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and his side that, he can not communicate anything from their Committee directly to  President Akufo-Addo without going through the  Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.

Mr. Osei Owusu made these comments today Tuesday 23 February 2021 at the appointment committee of Parliament when the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu objected to the vetting of the President's Ministerial Nominee to Public Enterprise, Mr. Joseph Cudjoe, and demanded clarity on the Ministry.

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu explained that he can not support a Ministry for Public Enterprise because every Ministry is a public Enterprise of its own but if the President had appointed Mr. Joseph Cudjoe as Minister of State responsible for a particular Ministry at the Presidency to play a supervisory role, he would not have any challenge with that.

Mr. Haruna, who is also the ranking member on the Appointment Committee believes that the creation of the Public Enterprise Ministry violates the Executive Instrument (EI 12) to which the President has exercised his powers and mandate in the nomination of people to be vetted for a ministerial position.

The Deputy Majority leader, who also is a member of the appointment committee, Kwamena Afenyo Markin took the time to explain the position of the law that mandates the President in nominating people to become ministers.

Mr. Afenyo quoted Article 71 in support of his claim by saying, Ministers of State shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval by Parliament, from among members of Parliament or persons qualify to be elected as members of Parliament, except that, the Majority of the ministers shall be appointed from the members of Parliament.

He, therefore, sees no challenge to the President's nomination of Mr. Joseph Cudjoe, the import of the law is that the person becomes a Minister of State but not a minister to a particular Ministry.

Mr. Afenyo Markin, therefore, urged the Committee to go on with their vetting as they are mandated to since time is also of the essence, even though, he agreed with the call for clarity by the Minority leader but that should not stop the committee from carrying the legitimate mandate.

EK Ansah, Parliament