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Following the chaotic scenes that marred the vetting of ministerial nominees in Parliament Thursday, January 30, 2025, a political analyst is calling for a cap on the time allotted to persons that appear before the Committee.

Dr. Jonathan Asante Otchere of the University of Cape Coast has intimated that no one ministry is more important than the other, and that the Appointments Committee must put a cap on the time they spend on each nominee.

During the vetting of ministerial nominees on Thursday, January 30, 2025, the Minority caucus representation on the Appointments Committee objected to the continuous screening of the Ministers-designate for Health and Foreign Affairs, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

They had argued that the Committee was scheduled to vet three nominees which was increased to five upon the Chairman’s plea with members.

However, they indicated that the Chairman sought to bring in more nominees after the agreed number was reached, hoping that the Minority was going to boycott the process.

This resulted in chaos at the meeting where the Minority members broke down one of the tables that were being used, and also damaged six microphones being used for the exercise.

The development, is what Dr. Asante Otchere had said should be first blamed on the Chairman of the Committee who allowed the Ranking Member, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, to spend three hours on a single nominee.

Commenting on the issue on Ghana Tonight same night the incident happened, he blamed the Chairman for being too generous and added that the number of hours should be capped for all the ministries.

“Because I have listened to all sides and I think that the minority, so to speak, inasmuch as they might have compromised along the way, I think what they have done is very unpardonable.

He averred that the members “are supposed to have a pre-meeting discussion of the person. And that is that no ministry is more important than the other. So, we are forcing each ministry or each minister, nominee, to two solid hours. Now, what that means is that you will have this number of questions to ask, you can do a follow-up. Once we are done with the two hours, whether it is a question to the Minority Leader or not, the vetting comes to a close.”

“That is why it should be so that we will all be more consistent in the way and manner we ask questions. Because you cannot grant the minority leader a limitless number of questions,” he added.

VIDEO: Confusion erupts among members of Appointments Committee over vetting of Akandoh and Ablakwa