Samuel Nartey George (L) and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
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The Minority representation on the Appointments Committee have objected to the approval of two of the last batch of ministerial nominees that were vetted last week.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Samuel Nartey George, Ministers-designate for Foreign Affairs and Communications, have both have their approval objected by the Minority, saying the entire House would have to cast a secret ballot on their approval.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament Tuesday, February 04, 2025, the Minority Leader and Ranking on the Appointments Committee, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, indicated that the Committee has taken a unanimous decision on all the nominees except the two.

Alexander Afenyo-Markin speaking on the floor of Parliament

He explained that the duo failed to make available to the Committee, some documents that were requested during their vetting. He says the other nominees can be approved whereas the others present the required documents before they will be approved.

“Mr. Speaker, limiting ourselves to even the third report, this is the very problem that I’ve been raising from Day One. When the clerks reached out to me this morning, we had a meeting on the draft. The understanding reached was that, they will engage our respected colleague, Sam George, to bring the rest of the documents to enable us finalise the report, that’s the current report.

“Mr. Speaker, here is a situation that without reaching out to me again, we have our clerk co-signing the report with the Chair. Mr. Speaker, let the record reflect that per the practice of this House, leaders of Committees would always have to sign off before a committee report is finalised and brought to this chamber. It is only when one side has given a firm indication of its intent that the issue of the Minority report would arise.

“Mr. Speaker, I beg to say that until all the information that the nominee himself has committed to provide are provided, we cannot finalise the report,” he reemphasised.

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