Some NDC MPs React To Defeat In Ministerial Approval Vote; Lists Greed, Betrayal, And Sabotage As Reasons For Breaking Ranks

The outcome of proceedings in Ghana’s parliament on Friday, March 24, 2023, has sent shockwaves through the minority side of the house due to the circumstance of the defeat they suffered in the approval of six ministerial nominees.

Beyond a clear directive from their National Democratic Congress (NDC) to reject the six nominees, members of the caucus had been clear in their position against the approval of the nominees.

The minority, during the debate by the House on the report of the Appointments Committee on the vetting of the nominees, remained adamant about their concerns on the size of the government and the need for a reduction.

However, when the decision of approval for the nominees was put to a secret vote, the minority despite their position on the matter and their equal numbers (136 apiece) with the majority side; they lost the vote decisively.

In all six cases, the statistics showed that a number of the minority MPs broke ranks with the caucus and added up to the votes of the majority to attain the required more than half votes for approval.

‘Following the declaration of the result, some members of the minority caucus have shared their thoughts about the development.

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa threaded the road of philosophy by Ouida to express the pain he feels as a result of the outcome of the tense vote.

“There is no knife that cuts so sharply and with such poisoned blade as treachery,” the quote shared via his twitter handle read.

pic.twitter.com/BkAsYGKqNy

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) March 24, 2023

 

 

In the same vein, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central Alhassan Suhuyini expressed bitterness about the betrayal by some members of the caucus.

With a quote that spoke about the relationship between beauty and ugliness and between devils and angels, he philosophically stressed the pain that he felt due to the outcome of the voting.

The quote read: “I’VE SEEN BEAUTY IN PEOPLE CALLED UGLY AND SEEN THE DEVIL. IN THE MOST ANGELIC FACE. BUT I’M IN A SOCIETY THAT AVOID DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS.”

 

 

On his part, the Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak Abass attributed the defeat suffered by the caucus to greed and disloyalty on the part of the yet-to-be known MPs who broke rank.

“Approval of Ministers – Most devastating and disappointing outcome. Greed and treachery is our bane. Yet again we have failed to live up to expectations. The traitors will surely be exposed by their collaborators in no time,” he wrote in a Twitter post.

 

Approval of Ministers – Most devastating and disappointing outcome. Greed and treachery is our bane. Yet again we have failed to live up to expectations. The traitors will sure be exposed by their collaborators in no time.

— Dr. Clement Abas Apaak (@DrApaak) March 24, 2023

 

Wa Central Member of Parliament, Dr Raship Pelpuo also expressed his disappointment about the outcome of the balloting process via a Facebook post.

Despite his disappointment, the MP urged members of the party to keep their sights on the pursuit for power in 2024.

“Never been so terribly disappointed! But the object of this vote was not only to win but to demonstrate our non cooperation. We won that. The bandwagon to the big verdict moves on to 2024. The bad economy and bad governance will still be the subject. Those who willfully transgress the common cause will and must repent. The will to win is stronger,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

 

Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, Kwaku Rickets-Haggan, has said the failure of the Minority to reject the new ministerial appointees in Parliament on Friday was borne out of greed, sabotage and friendship.

The NDC MP says they failed Ghanaians for their inability to hold the government accountable for his newly ministerial appointees after making promises of taking a stance to get the President reduce the size of government prior to the vetting of the nominees.

Mr. Rickets-Haggan says they “disgraced” themselves as a caucus and it was so “shameful” of them that their leadership should be awake should they want to be accepted by Ghanaians as an alternative government.

Explaining his reasons, the lawmaker said on TV3’s the KeyPoints Saturday, March 25, 2023, that the voting pattern stemmed from sabotage of the new executives of the Minority.
“We have a few people or many that if you look at the votes, you know some people were not happy and most of the unhappiness was based on principle. We recently had a change in the Minority leadership and some felt they should have been consulted,” he indicated.

According to him, the sabotage was not carried on the personalities of the individuals fronting the caucus leadership but rather the principle that was breached.

“I’m not suggesting the old leaders played the lead to sabotage but some who supported, some have moved on but I believe there are still people who were not happy with events and felt that they should punish the party. It was a clear undermining of Ato Forson’s leadership to punish the Chair of the party, Hon. Asiedu Nketia,” he explained further.

For his second reason, the Cape Coast South MP said “greediness on the part of some of our MPs. There are some who are more interested in enriching themselves than serving the interest of the caucus.”
Parliament approves all six nominees, two Supreme Court Justices:

Parliament on Friday, March 24 approved all six ministerial nominees of president Akufo-Addo after a heated debate, 24 hours prior and a tense voting process.

Final results declared by Speaker Alban Bagbin showed that all nominees got more votes than the minimum of 138 votes required because out of the 275 eligible voters, there were three absent.

Below are the final figures for each nominee:

Total eligible 275

Absentees = 3

Total valid votes = 272

Hon KT Hammond, Minister for Trade and Industry

Yes = 154
No = 116
Rejected = 1
Abstention = 1

Bryan Acheampong, Minister for Food and Agriculture

Yes = 167
No = 98
Rejected = 1
Abstention = 3

Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs

Yes = 147
No = 122
Abstention = 3

Mohammed Amin

Yes = 152
No = 117
Rejected = 1
Abstentions = 2

Osei Bonsu Amoah

Yes = 149
No = 120

Stephen Amoah, deputy minister of Trade and Industry

Yes = 146
No = 123
Abstentions = 3

Meanwhile, Parliament also voted on the report of two remaining two Supreme Court justice nominees appointed by Akufo-Addo.

At the end of a vote demanded by the Minority, both nominees were approved by a slight majority. George Kingsley Koomson, Justice of the Court of Appeal got 139 YES votes against 133 NO votes, whiles Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, Justice of the High Court got 138 YES and 134 NO votes.Abesmtion = 2

 

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