Appointements Commitee of Parliament vets Presidential Nominees

The Appointments Committee of Parliament chaired by Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, on Friday First Deputy Speaker, on Friday vetted five Presidential Nominees for Ministers and Deputy Ministers designates, at the Speakers conference room in Parliament.

They are: Mr Isaac Vanderpuye, Deputy Minister designate for Greater Accra Region, Mr Stephen Ackah, Deputy Minister designate for Local Government and Rural Development, Ambassador Amin Admidu Sulemani, Upper West Regional Minister designate, Mr William Kwasi Aboah, Deputy Minister designate for Interior, and Ambassador, Lee Ocran, Minister designate for Education.

Ambassador Ocran, who was first to appear before the committee, suggested an increase of about ten per cent of local students in the public university for fee paying.

He asked that the university curriculum should be made more responsive to the needs of the country.

Ambassador Ocran called for the establishment of more Teacher Training Colleges in the country to train more teachers.

He said teachers, especially those in the rural areas, needed to be motivated with allowances, and called on Parliament to have a second look at the Colleges of Education Bill before the House.

Ambassador Ocran called for the strict enforcement of the Free Universal Basic Education policy and parents to send their children to school.

He suggested that students who fail the Basic Education Certificate Examination should be give the opportunity to resit the examination.

Ambassador Sulemani suggested the creation of irrigation dams in the region to support dry season farming to create jobs for the people.

He lamented that some school leavers in the region migrated to the cities for non-existent jobs and hoped that the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority would help reduce poverty in the area.

Mr Aboah who was asked about to comment on serial killing of women when he was the Director of Criminal Investigation Department, said a number of women were killed at the time and after he left office some were reported killed but only one person was arrested in connection with crime.

He promised to prevent unlawful arrest of people when Parliament gives him the nod.

On housing for security institutions, Mr Aboah said only 20 per cent of 4,500 personnel of the Ghana Prison Service had accommodation, 10 per cent of 4,000 Ghana Immigration Service personnel had accommodation and about 50 per cent of officers of the Ghana Police Service did not have accommodation.

Mr Aboah said when Parliament approves his nomination; he would find ways of assisting security officers without accommodation to rent houses.

He said it behooves security personnel to provide a congenial atmosphere for peaceful elections in December.