Parliament approves all six Ministerial nominees

Parliament on Friday, March 24, 2023, approved all six of President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees.

At the end of secret voting, Hon. Kwabena Tahir (K.T) Hammond who is the nomineeto the Trade and Industry Ministry secured 154 Yes, 116 votes.

Hon. Bryan Acheampong, nominee to the Ministry of Agriculture, had 167 Yes, 98 No votes.

Hon. Stephen Asamoah Boateng, nominee to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture, garnered 147 Yes and 122 votes.

Minister of State nominee at the Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Amin Adam, had 152 Yes 117 No votes.

Minister of State nominee at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, O.B Amoah secured 149 Yes and 120 No votes.

Dr. Stephen Amoah, nominee, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, had 146 Yes and 123 No votes.

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Prior to the voting to decide the fate of the nominees, the Minority insisted on rejecting them until certain conditions, including amendments to the controversial Constitutional Instrument (CI) from the Electoral Commission (EC).

The Minority on Thursday night during the debate on the approval of the nominees in the presence of their party Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia questioned the refusal of President Akufo-Addo to cut down on the size of his government in the midst of the current economic crisis.

The National Democratic Congress had directed its MPs who form the Minority caucus to vote against President Akufo-Addo’s nominees.

But from the number of votes secured by the nominees, it is clear that some of the NDC MPs broke ranks with the party and voted in support of the nominees, as both the NDC and NPP have 137 MPs apiece.