Vetting: Minority accuses Ahiafor of blocking questions

The Minority in Parliament has accused Bernard Ahiafor, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, of obstructing a thorough vetting process for ministerial nominees.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Dr. Gideon Boako, Member of Parliament for Tano North, described the Chairman’s conduct as biased and partisan.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee was the first real obstacle to a diligent vetting of the ministerial nominees,” Dr. Boako said.
“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.”

Accusations of suppressed scrutiny
Dr. Boako outlined several incidents during the vetting proceedings where the Chairman allegedly curtailed the Minority’s efforts to scrutinize nominees. He claimed that committee members were shouted at and that their questions were blocked.
“Members of the committee were shouted at by the Chairman. You all witnessed how the Member for Atiwa East, Abena Osei-Asare, was shouted at in an attempt to protect the nominees.
The Chairman denied legitimate members of the committee the opportunity to ask relevant questions and railroaded the nominees through the process,” Dr. Boako added.

Defense of minority protest
The Minority defended their protests against the Chairman’s conduct, asserting it was a necessary stand for parliamentary oversight.
“It must be noted that the altercation between our side of the committee and the Chairman was a direct protest against his conduct. 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.

Call for transparency and accountability
The Minority urged the Appointments Committee to adopt a more impartial approach, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in the vetting process.
“The vetting of ministerial nominees is a crucial exercise in ensuring that appointees are qualified and fit for office. The process must not be compromised by bias or partisanship,” Dr. Boako stated.
The allegations have sparked calls for reforms to ensure that future vetting processes are conducted in a manner that upholds parliamentary integrity and fosters public trust.