Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has defended the Appointments Committee’s decision not to question Linda Obenewaa Ocloo Akweley, the Greater Accra Regional Minister-designate, during her vetting.
The committee’s approach has faced criticism, with many arguing that bypassing the questioning process undermines transparency and accountability.
Afenyo-Markin justified the decision, stating that committee members are already familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the ministerial nominees.
“We know the strength of those who appear before us, and we know their weaknesses. Sometimes, you look at certain situations and you want to balance it,” he explained.
Ocloo Akweley’s vetting session was unusual, as she was accompanied by chiefs and members from both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
After introducing herself, she was excused without facing any questions.
Afenyo-Markin dismissed suggestions that time constraints played a role in the committee’s decision. He also didn’t confirm whether the committee would recall the nominee, stating that her report had been debated and approved on the floor of Parliament.
In an interview on The Point of View on Channel One TV, Afenyo-Markin defended the committee’s decision, the Minority Leader acknowledged the controversy surrounding the committee’s decision, saying,
“That’s one of our failures, isn’t it? It’s one of those things—you would disagree with us, but I would leave that with you. You have every right to disagree with us.”
Baina Multimedia/ Khadijahtu Kubura Kailani
Leave a Reply