A person’s ability to discharge their job should be the paramount consideration to look out for in making an appointment rather than fluency in a particular language, in this case English.

This is the view advanced by New Patriotic Party (NPP) Legal and Communications team member, Dr Poku Adusei. GhanaWeb monitord his contributions Saturday, February 20, 2021, on Joy FM’s NewsFile program which discussed the work of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

Whiles speaking specifically on the backlash that has trailed the performance of Fisheries and Aquaculture minister-designate, Mavis Hawa Koomson, Dr Adusei said for the particular ministry, two major local languages were more needed than English.

“Let’s also be cognizant about the portfolios the persons are going to hold. For the Fisheries ministry, the subjects and objects of that ministry and persons you will be engaged with … I am telling you that it is not about mastery of English language.

“Not at all, mastery of Ga and Twi may even serve you a better purpose. Mastery of Ga in particular … because of the coastal areas (it) may serve you a better purpose than English language,” he stressed.

The minister-designate had struggled with English delivery when she appeared before the committee, her responses to sector specific questions also raised concerns relative to the lack of depth exhibited.

There is an ongoing debate about the relationship between fluency and on ground delivery of ministerial nominees. Lawyer Inusah Fuseini, a former lawmaker, who was also on the program agreed that the basic consideration to be minister is expressly stated in the constitution and it does not include fluency in a particular language.

For his part, Vice-President of Imani Ghana, Kofi Bentil, expressly disagreed with Dr Adusei. He said the bulk of the work of a minister was on driving policy and not dealing with fisher folk. He added that it will be a waste of mandate if a minister prioritized such meetings over more pressing responsibilities.