Many were left disappointed after all six ministerial appointees by the President got approved following a secret balloting in Parliament on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Despite the Minority having 136 members in the House just as the Majority, all appointees got at least 10 more members from the NDC MPs breaking ranks to get them affirmed.
Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, George Kwaku Rickets-Haggan, has meanwhile confirmed that some of his colleagues took bribes to cast their ballots in approval of the ministers.
Speaking on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, March 25, Mr. Rickets-Hagan enumerated three key reasons that influenced the voting pattern of some of the Minority MPs.
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Noting greediness as part of the reasons for the betrayal of trust, the Cape South legislator said some nominees had told leadership of the Minority that they have induced 30 members from their side to get the appointees affirmed.
“Greediness on the part of some of our MPs. There are some who are more interested in enriching themselves than serving the interest of the caucus,” he indicated and responded “absolutely, no doubt” when Alfred Ocansey asked if his greediness meant some MPs were bribed or took money.
“…The leadership know because per the information as I said, some of these nominees spoke to the leadership and were telling them in meetings and in conclave with our guys on the opposite side that, look, we have 30 of your people bought and 40 of these people have told us that they were going to do the needful,” he didn’t mince words.
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The NDC MP says they failed Ghanaians for their inability to hold the government accountable for his newly ministerial appointees after making promises of taking a stance to get the President reduce the size of government prior to the vetting of the nominees.
Mr. Rickets-Haggan says they “disgraced” themselves as a caucus and it was so “shameful” of them that their leadership should be awake should they want to be accepted by Ghanaians as an alternative government.
He has been explaining that some also sabotaged the process which was a “clear undermining of Hon. Ato Forson’s leadership as a punishment for Asiedu Nketia.”
According to him, the sabotage was not carried on the personalities of the individuals fronting the caucus leadership but rather the principle that was breached.
“I’m not suggesting the old leaders played the lead to sabotage but some who supported, some have moved on but I believe there are still people who were not happy with events and felt that they should punish the party,” he said.
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The MP also indicated the relationship between the appointees and some members of the Minority caucus influenced the voting pattern despite the party’s directive to whip all members along one line.
By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com|Ghana
