Senior Minister post unconstitutional - Kwesi Pratt

Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper has described the nomination of Mr. Osafo Marfo for the senior Minister designate position as a mark to honor his personality.

Apart from that, he did not understand why the Nana Addo- led government will resurface a position tried and abandoned under the first NPP government under President Kufuor.   

On Tuesday, 10th January 2017 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, rolled out names of the first batch of his ministerial appointments including Mr. Osafo Marfo who was designated as senior Minister.

The nominees would have to go through vetting and approved by Parliament before they can take over their rightful positions in government.

However, Mr. Kwasi Pratt on Metro TV on Wednesday said it is unconstitutional to appoint a senior Minister when the Constitution makes provision for only two kinds of Ministers being Cabinet and non-cabinet.

“There is no space for senior Minister because it doesn’t fit into those two and that makes it unconstitutional”, he observed.  

Kwasi Pratt believes that it will be reasonable if Mr. Osafo Marfo’s appointment is an elevation designed to honour his personality because he is above any ministerial position.

“But, if that is not the case it would appear that the NPP administration has a certain love for the Prime Ministerial system and their explanation in the media confirms that. So there should be the need to do it properly”, he counseled.

The Managing Editor said if the Senior Minister position is synonymous to Prime Minister, there should be proper structures put in place to constitutionalize it.