General News of Thursday, 27 January 2005
Source: JFM/GHP
The chairman of the appointments committee vetting the president?s ministerial nominees, First Deputy Speaker Freddy Blay, has been criticized by some committee members for his interruptions when members ask questions he perceives unfavorable to the nominees.
However, Dr. Ben Kumbuor, a member of the committee, says the conduct of the chairman will not affect the outcome of the vetting process.
Some minority members have had course to complain about Blay?s conduct in open sitting. On Wednesday Kumbuor, NDC MP for Lawra Nandom, objected to the ruling by the chairman preventing the nominee for the Trade and Industry position, Allan Kyeremanten, from answering a question posed to him.
Speaking to a local radio station, JoyFM, Dr. Kumbuor said members of the committee members are independent minded and will not allow the demeanor of the chairman to influence their decision when the report of the exercise is been compiled.
Dr Kumbuor said normally when such issues come up, there should be ways of consulting with other members of the committee for a decision to be taken, but when one is cut off from or prevented from asking question, there is bound to be disagreement.
?I have learnt to work with him and he has always been like that anyway and so those of us who insist that we must do what we think is right, we do it and work together,? Dr Kumbuor said