My boss is a ‘very humble man’ – Afriyie Akoto’s aide disputes ‘arrogant’ tag

Minister-designate for Agriculture Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto

The embattled Food and Agric Minister-designate, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto is not an arrogant person, therefore the basis for his rejection by the minority members on the Parliamentary Appointment Committee cannot be true, his aide has said.

“Being arrogant is subjective. If you want an answer from him and the answer he is giving you is not satisfactory, you can say he is arrogant”, Aide to the former Minister, Issah Alhassaan fumed on Kumasi-based Akoma FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com while responding to claims that his boss posture and conduct before the committee was interpreted by the members as a sign of arrogance, hence their decision to reject him.

He accused the Minority members on the Committee of peddling falsehood and misinformation all in the name of discrediting the President’s nominee for the Food and Agric Ministry.

“We are worried about the peddling of falsehood and misinformation from the Minority which is deliberate to just to discredit him. And we are so much worried about this Issah Alhassan told host, Kofi Asante Ennin.

The Minority side on the appointments committee has cited four reasons for which reason it was unable to pass the Minister which include the following

a) The Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture was untruthful under oath to the Committee on the circumstances leading to the abrogation of the Fruit and Export Terminal Contract of 2015 by GPHA on his express instructions as contained in a letter dated 11th January, 2021.

b) He was untruthful under oath about his directive ordering GPHA to issue a license to Fruit Terminal Company Ltd and how his actions could lead to a US$50million judgement debt.

c) The nominee was grossly insincere with the Appointments Committee on his special relationship with the Director of AMG Company Limited, Mr. Ernest Appiah and the latter’s control of fertilizer contracts awarded by the Ministry.

d) The Minister-designate was particularly discourteous, downright condescending and offensively arrogant in his appearance at the committee which is not the kind of attitude expected of public servants.