Following the failure of the Minority in Parliament to halt the approval of President Akufo-Addo’s new ministerial appointments, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced that it will leave no stone unturned in order to identify and honor Members of Parliament who stood with the party.
Despite the strong stance of the NDC against the new appointments, all three nominees sailed through after secret balloting on the floor of parliament on Friday night.
“The register of 275 eligible voters, 3 voters were absent so 272 did exercise their franchise. The results of the voting are as follows; Honorable KT Hammond 154 Yes, 116 Nos, rejected 1, Bryan Acheampong, 167 Yes, 98 Nos, rejected 4, abstention 3. Stephen Asamoah Boateng 147 Yes, 122 Nos, 3 abstentions. Mohammed Amin Adams 152 Yes, 117 Nos, rejected 1, abstentions 2. Osei Bonsu Amoah 149 Yes, 120 Nos, abstentions 3, Stephen Amoah 146 yes, 123 nos, 3 absentions. The House has accordingly approved the nominations of the following persons as ministers and a deputy minister in accordance with 79(1) of the constitution,” Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin announced on the floor after the voting.
According to the NDC, they are really disappointed by the turn of events. The party believes its Members of Parliament who voted for the nominees to sail through threw principle to the wind and pursued their parochial interest by voting for the six ministerial nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In a statement released by the General Secretary of the NDC, the party indicated the actions of these renegade MPs only betray the express will of the NDC and “constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana”.
Despite the disappointment, Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey announced that the party will not overlook the efforts of the Members of Parliament who stood with the party. In the coming days, all legislators who voted against the Ministers will be identified and honored publicly for their patriotic efforts.
“We will stop at nothing to identify them and publicly laud them in due course. Their loyalty and patriotism will not be forgotten,” portions of the statement read.
The party said irrespective of the “betrayal”, it continues to join forces with the millions of its supporters, and indeed Ghanaians, who are not happy with the bloated government of Akufo-Addo-Bawumia.
“Undoubtedly, our country currently faces the biggest economic meltdown in living memory,” it said.
