Grilling Of Nominees Begins Today

New Ministers that have been appointed by President Kufuor, will starting today Monday 23rd July, 2007 begin facing the Parliamentary Select Appointments Committee for vetting and approval by the House. Names of the new Ministers which started filtering in last Wednesday from the Castle, courtesy the Chief of Staff and the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani has so put on the pedestal some personalities in Kufuor's government whilst others including some high ranking Ministers still remain in limbo.

Top guns like Hon. Kwamina Bartels, former Minister for Information and National Orientation, Hon. Boniface Siddique, former Minister for Manpower Development, Youth and Employment and Hon. Dominic Fobih, former Minister for Lands, Mines and Forestry whose Ministries have already been given to other equally potential personalities in the ruling government are still hanging on to their last hope that perhaps President Kufuor who seems to pull a surprise when it comes to reshuffling of his cabinet might have a portfolio for them.

So far 26 Ministerial positions including Deputies and Regional Ministers have officially been announced by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes. In an interview with the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Freddy Blay, who is also the 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, it was revealed that the procedure for the vetting where the press and the general public are cordially invited will not be changed. He however cautioned the general public and the press to abide by every rule set by the Committee with regards to the vetting. He was of the view that nominees for substantive ministries are likely to begin the vetting, followed by the Deputies and then the Regional Ministers.

The nominees and the portfolios for which they have been nominated are as follows: Mr. K. Osei Adjei - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD; Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie - Minister of Information and National Orientation; Dr. B. Aggrey Ntim -Minister of Communications; Nana Akomea - Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment; Mr. Joe Baidoe-Ansah - Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and PSI; Mr. Samuel Owusu-Agyei - Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reform and Dr. A. Akoto-Osei - Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

Others are Nana Obiri-Baohene - Minister of State at Ministry of Interior; Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah - Minister of State at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing; Mr. George Hikah Benson - Upper West Regional Minister; Mr. Kwadwo Affram Asiedu - Eastern Regional Minister; Mr. Alhassan Samari - Upper East Regional Minister; Mr. Samuel K. Obodai - Central Regional Minister; Mr. Ofosu Asamoah - Deputy Eastern Regional Minister; Mrs. Agnes A. Chigabatia - Deputy Upper East Regional Minister and Mrs. Winifred Asibi Dy-Yakah - Deputy Upper West Regional Minister.

The rest are Minister of Parliamentary Affairs - Mr. Abraham Ossei-Aidoo; Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines - Ms. Esther Obeng Dapaah; Minister of State at the Ministry of Transportation - Mr. Godfrey T. Bayon; Mr. Kenwood Nuworsu - Manpower, Youth and Employment; Mr. Kofi Osei Ameyaw - Tourism and Diasporan Relations; Ms. Vicky Bright - Communications; Rev. Dr. Akwasi Owusu-Bi - Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiatives (PSIs).

As at the time of going to press, the latest of the nominees announced were Mr. Fredrick Opare Ansah - Deputy Minister for Communications, Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah(pictured) - Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Mr. Frank Agyekum - Deputy Minister of Information and National Orientation.