The African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) says the Appointments Committee of Parliament has been unsatisfactory with its work so far regarding the vetting of ministerial nominees.
According to ACEPA, members on the Committee have not conducted themselves so well by resorting to altercations that hinders thorough examination of nominees.
Dr. Rasheed Draman, Executive Director of ACEPA, in an interview with Accra-based Citi News noted that issues of national interest have received less attention at the vetting due to the conduct of members from both sides preventing thorough interrogation of the nominees.
He wants the Committee to be reassessed to ensure the purpose of the vetting is achieved.
Dr. Draman wants the operational framework of the Appointments Committee to be revisited to make it more effective, adding that the status quo does not enhance rigorous examination of nominees on critical issues affecting the nation.
“I think this process has been very unsatisfactory. There is a need for some serious rethinking about how the Appointments Committee conducts its business. We see, first of all, Members of Parliament, particularly those from the Minority, missing a very important opportunity to exact accountability from nominees.
“They focus on trivial issues, issues that are not speaking to the competence, the integrity, and the fit of the person to the ministry or department that he or she is going to.
“On the side of the members of the Majority, I think they have turned this whole process into some kind of friendly match. I mean, it is their colleagues from the same party, but I think we still have to take this business very seriously,” he indicated.
ACEPA’s remarks follow public criticism of the vetting process, with many observers urging Parliament to prioritize substance over partisan interests during these crucial deliberations.
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