Parliament decides fate of 3 today

The Appointments Committee of Parliament is expected to present its final report on the three deferred Ministers of State-designate to Members of Parliament (MPs) today.

The beleaguered ministers who made media headlines last week are, Sheikh Ibrahim Cudjoe Quaye, Greater Accra Region Minister-designate, Dr Richard Anane, Minister-designate for Roads and Transport and the Central Region Minister-designate, Isaac Edumadze.

Though the report is yet to be presented officially to Parliament today for approval there are already media speculations that two of the ministers-designate - Sheikh I.C Quaye and Dr Richard Anane have been exonerated.

Nothing has since been heard about the other, Mr Isaac Edumadze.

As at press time yesterday, Majority Leader of Parliament Felix Owusu-Adjapong told the ADM in an interview that he is yet to receive briefing from the chairman of the Committee, Freddie Blay, whether or not the report is ready. However, he said he, as the head of the majority of the House is not worried about the turn of events because "the Committee is doing a thorough job."

He said Ghanaians should never assume that this is a dent on the ruling government because "this is not the first time this is happening in Ghana. Four years ago the former Energy Minister, Paa Kwesi Nduom was deferred until he was cleared.

We would not allow any frivolous cases to confuse anybody."

The Appointments Committee deferred their decisions on the three to a Sub-Committee to investigate certain aspects of their testimony when they appeared for vetting. Thirty-one out of 34 ministers-designate presented to Parliament for vetting were approved by a unanimous decision last Tuesday.

Sheikh I.C Quaye's approval was withheld because of his inability to present the certificates he obtained from the university among others. He explained that those certificates got destroyed when his house was demolished in 1963 and was incarcerated subsequently.

Sources have told the ADM that the Committee has been presented with the testimonial of the Sheikh from his former school, Odogonnor Secondary School authenticating aspects of his curriculum vitae.

The ADM has been informed that Dr Richard Anane's moral issue has been resolved and has therefore been given the nod by the Committee. After passing the first test the ministers-designate in question await their final fate today.