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NDC Under Scrutiny

By Daily Guide
Fri, 09 Jan 2009 | Print | E-Mail | PDF | Graphics Version
Ghana Elections

Professor Mike Oquaye THE RULING National Democratic Congress (NDC) is under severe pressure to fulfil its campaign promises to the people of Ghana as the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is bent on scrutinising the governing party.

Professor Mike Oquaye, who is the NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome-Kwabenya, told DAILY GUIDE immediately after his election as the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament that the NDC had no choice but to satisfy the needs of Ghanaians as pledged and the NPP would hold the government accountable for any failures.

The Second Deputy Speaker who is coming to the job with vast experience as a distinguished lawyer and a university professor noted that Ghanaians have high expectations of the Professor John Evans Atta Mills-led NDC administration and the NPP would cooperate with the ruling party but would be firm on its democratic principles to ensure Ghanaians get what they truly deserve.

“We are going to cooperate with the government to deliver to the people but we will stand by our principles of the rule of law, the proper way of doing things constitutionally, good governance, and responsible and accountable government. We are going to work according to our true tradition.

In these areas, nobody should expect any compromise or stiff opposition from our side and in this regard, we are going to make the government work,” Hon. Mike Oquaye promised whilst speaking on the workings of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

According to the Second Deputy Speaker, the President was elected by Ghanaians with a clear responsibility to serve the people, adding that the NPP would ensure without hesitation that the government was held accountable.

The NPP, he assured, would not do anything that will derail the smooth process of governance, noting that the main opposition party in Parliament would assist in fast tracking the appointment of Ministers of State to help the President to meet the aspirations of Ghanaians.

“The President was elected by the people and when he brings his nominations, I take the view that we are going to be as cooperative as possible. The President is going to work with a team and so let him have the men and women he wants to work with,” he suggested.

He hinted that the NPP would only oppose a nominee of the President on technical grounds such as dual nationality, or on matters of criminality.

He appealed to Ghanaians, especially the media, not to misconstrue such magnanimity as a weakness of Parliament in approving Ministers of State without much prodding.

Professor Oquaye noted that Ghanaians sometimes faulted the Appointment Committee of Parliament for not asking President's nominees tough questions, arguing that there was no need for that if the media and Ghanaians did not bring issues against such nominees.

“I am not going to say this is the nominee of the President and therefore I must ask him or her tough questions just to embarrass them when there is no need for that.”

According to him, there was no point in delaying the appointment of Ministers when there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the character and their capacity to assist the President in moving the nation forward, adding that it was in the interest of all Ghanaians for Ministers to be at post as early as possible.    

By Awudu Mahama


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