Appointment Committee approves Amissah-Arthur as Veep

The Appointments Committee of Parliament has approved the nomination of Vice President designate, Mr. Kwesi Amissah-Arthur. The approval follows what some leading members of the government say is a sterling performance at the public vetting earlier today.

Parliamentary correspondent, Vivienne Laryea reports that the outgoing Governor of the Bank of Ghana is expected to be sworn in by parliament this evening.

Parliament as a whole is however yet to approve the Vice President nominee. Mr. Amissah-Arthur is expected to be sworn in as the fifth Vice President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana in a few minutes.

Committee members bombarded the economist with questions on the falling value of the cedi, corruption, the general economic situation, nationality, political credentials and managerial skills.

Mr Amissah-Arthur was appointed by the late President John Evans Atta Mills as Governor of the Bank of Ghana on the October 1, 2009 to replace Dr Paul Acquah who had retired.

Prior to his appointment as Governor of the Central Bank, he worked as a private consultant/economist.

Mr Amissah-Arthur had worked at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), where he was a research assistant from 1974 to 1975.

He was PNDC Deputy Secretary for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and was the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning from 1993 to 2000.**