Vetting: Give me handing over notes of Akufo-Addo’s ministers or I’ll vote against them – Ayariga warns

The Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga says he will vote against the nominees set to appear before Parliament's Appointments Committee today because he has not received handling over notes.

He wants the vetting rescheduled to 24 hours after he receives the notes if he is to change his mind.

Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and Albert Kan-Dapaah, the ministers designate for Health and National Security are scheduled for vetting today, Wednesday, February 10, 2021.

Yesterday, the Minority Leader indicated his side had received the handing over notes.

But Mr. Ayariga says he is yet to lay hands on them.

“Given that I have not received the Handing Over Notes, despite several efforts on my part, I hereby announce my decision to vote against the two nominees appearing before us today, unless I am given hard or electronic copies of the Handing Over Notes and their vetting is rescheduled to 48 hours after receipt of the Handing Over Notes,” he said in a statement.

“It is high time we take our sacred constitutional duties seriously so that those who are appearing before us may consider us serious,” the MP added.

The handing over notes from nominees are required, per the Presidential Transition Act.

The notes are to be sent to the Administrator-General, Parliament, the Chief Justice, the Council of State and the Public Records and Archives and Administration Department.

Find below his full statement

NOTICE OF MY NO VOTE – MAHAMA AYARIGA

Good morning Chairman and Honourable Members of the Appointments Committee. I hereby serve notice that my demand for Handing Over Notes pursuant to the Presidential Transition Act has not been met in relation to the two nominees appearing before the Committee today.

I have said publicly on several media in the last two weeks that I will only vet them if I have their Handing Over Notes which should be a comprehensive record of their work in the last four years. Given that I have not received the Handing Over Notes, despite several efforts on my part, I hereby announce my decision to vote against the two nominees appearing before us today, unless I am given hard or electronic copies of the Handing Over Notes and their vetting is rescheduled to 48 hours after receipt of the Handing Over Notes. It is high time we take our sacred constitutional duties seriously so that those who are appearing before us may consider us serious. If this does not happen, I hereby inform the Chairman to record my votes on the nominees appearing before the Committee today as NO for both nominees.

Mahama Ayariga MP

Bawku Central

---citinewsroom