One-sided Parliament approves ministerial nominees as minority walks out

Parliament has approved President Akufo-Addo's nomination of nine ministers of state.

This marks the President's first ministerial reshuffle since 2017.

Among the new appointments, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye has been designated as Minister of Health, Lydia Seyram Alhassan as Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, and Dakoa Newman as Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection. Additionally, the House approved the President's designated Deputy Ministers of State.

Before the approval, the Minority caucus staged a walkout. Caucus Leader Cassiel Ato Forson addressed the house, stating, "Mr. Speaker, the Minority does not support the nominations of these ministers because of what the country has gone through and continues to go through, including economic crisis, food insecurity, dumsor, and reckless borrowing."

He further added, "Businesses are struggling. While the government has asked Ghanaians to tighten their belts, the government has loosened its belts. Piling up ministers and deputies does not signal to Ghanaians that the president understands the seriousness of the mess created."