Parliament has approved the nomination of nine Ministers of State by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo despite a staged walkout by the Minority in Parliament.

The group asserts that the current economic and power crises are the result of the government’s mismanagement, necessitating decisive action rather than new ministerial appointments.

Ahead of the adoption of the Appointments Committee report, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson stated that the caucus cannot support the approval of the nominees.

“Mr Speaker, the Minority does not support the nominations of these ministers, because of what the country has gone through and continues to go through, including economic crisis, food insecurity, “dumsor”, and reckless borrowing. Businesses are struggling. While the government has asked Ghanaians to tighten their belts, the government has loosened its belts,” he said.

“Piling up ministers and deputies does not signal to the Ghanaians the president understands the seriousness of the mess created,” he added.

Dr. Ato Forson continued, “let the records reflect that the NDC majority process can’t be part of this approval process to further increase the size of this government. Mr. Speaker, let the record reflect.”

“With these few words, Mr. Speaker, I want to signal that we are walking out and let it be recorded that they took this decision themselves; we are not part of it. Mr. Speaker, we have counted their numbers already, and we know the numbers,” he said before leading his members out of the chamber.

However, the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin, prayed Speaker Bagbin to go ahead with the process noting that the Minority did not have any issue with approving the Ministers at the committee level and was surprised at their latest decision.

The Speaker allowed and the House accordingly approved the report of the appointment committee.

Full list of Ministerial and deputy Ministerial nominees

Health Hon. Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye; Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ophelia Mensah Hayford; Information Ms. Fatimatu Abubakar, Gender; Children and Social Protection Dakoa Newman;  Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah; Sanitation and Water Resources Hon. Lydia Seyram Alhassan; Tourism, Arts and Culture Hon. Andrew Egyapa Mercer, MP, Greater AccraRegion Hon. Titus Glover, Oti Region Mr. Daniel Machator.

The deputy ministerial nominees are for Information Sylvester Tetteh, MP; Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Vincent Ekow Assafuah; Communications and Digitalisation Hon. Charles Acheampong; Health Adelaide Ntim, MP Alexander Akwasi Acquah; Works and Housing Hon. Dr. Prince Hamidu Armah;
Lands and Natural Resources, Akwasi Konadu; Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Hon. Musah Abdul Aziz Ayaba; Energy John Kobina Sanie, Collins Adomako Mensah; Education Kingsley Nyarko; Employment and Labour Relations Hon. Festus Awuah Kwofie; Gender, Children and Social Protection Hon. Benjamin Sekyere Yeboah.”