Parliament debates double security role of Addo-Kufuor

Accra, June 11, GNA-Parliament on Wednesday debated whether Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister for Interior Designate, should serve concurrently as Security Chairman of the Campaign Team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Election 2008 if approved.

The Nominee and two other Ministers Designate for Trade Industry and President's Special Initiatives and Minister at the Presidency were unanimously approved.

However, contributions from the largest minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) called on Dr Addo-Kufuor to resign from his party post now to avoid conflict of interest.

While Dr Addo Kufuor maintained that he would resign after he had received the nod for the Interior Ministry, Mr Haruna Iddrisu (NDC-Tamale South) said it was better for him to immediately resign to serve the nation or kept his position to serve his party. In an intervention, Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidooh assured the House that the NPP would take the right decision on the position of the Nominee as the Chairman of Security of the Party's Campaign Team as soon as he is appointed.

On the issue of the rather seeming high number of Minister, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu, Deputy Majority Leader, observed the absence of a specific number of Ministers that were to be appointed in the Constitution, despite powers granted the President to make nomination for such appointments for the running of state business. He suggested to the House to adopt a convention that would regulate the number of Ministers to be appointed.

The other Minister who were approved were Papa Owusu-Ankoma, for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and President's Special Initiatives and Mr. Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu, a former Diplomat, as Minister at the Presidency.