Hawa Koomson secures more approval votes than Oppong Nkrumah, Afriyie Akoto

Despite initial misgivings from the Minority Caucus on their nominations, Mavis Hawa Koomson, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto have been endorsed by majority votes at plenary.

In the wee hours of Thursday, March 4, Parliament put the report on the three ministerial nominees to votes after long hours of debates on the floor.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members on the Appointments Committee had rejected the three nominees for varying reasons.

For Mrs Koomson, who is the ministerial nominee for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development , the NDC caucus said she “could not provide convincing grounds for the shooting incident during the voter registration exercise in Kasoa on 20th July, 2020 even though we acknowledge her belated apology for her recklessly dangerous conduct”.

For the Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, Dr Afriyie Akoto, the NDC caucus said he “was untruthful under oath to the Committee on the circumstances leading to the abrogation of the Fruit and Export Terminal Contract of 2015 by GPHA on his express instructions as contained in a letter dated 11th January, 2021”.

They added that he was “particularly discourteous, downright condescending and offensively arrogant in his appearance at the committee which is not the kind of attitude expected of public servants”.

Minister-designate for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah was accused of peddling untruths under oath about circumstances leading to investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni relocating to South Africa when he faced threats on his life.

They added: “The nominee was quite evasive on his association with MX24 TV which is owned and managed by his wife with other family members such as Kwabena Oppong Nkrumah serving as shareholder/Trustee for the parent company of MX24 TV known as Black Volta Publications Limited incorporated recently on the 4th of April, 2017 when the nominee was serving as Deputy Minister for Information .”

But after the votes, Mrs Koomson, and also MP for Awutu Senya East Constituency, polled 161 YES votes out of 265 votes – representing 60.75 percent – to get endorsed. The NO votes were 104.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah, who is also MP for Ofoase Ayirebi Constituency, polled 155 YES votes and 110 NO votes to also sail through.

Dr Afriyie Akoto polled 143 YES votes against 121 NO votes to also get endorsed.

---3news.com