Bagbin’s decision to suspend approval of new ministers disappointing

The Majority caucus in Parliament has expressed shock over Alban Bagbin’s decision to suspend the approval of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State, a move prompted by the President’s rejection of the bill on Human Sexual Rights and Family Values.

On Wednesday, March 20, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, suspended the approval process for Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State nominated by the President and vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

This decision was attributed to a pending court application seeking an injunction against the approval process.

In response to the development in Accra on Wednesday, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin expressed disappointment, stating, “It’s very disappointing that after Mr. Speaker had made known his own views about the letter sent from the presidency to the clerk, he adjourned the house sine dine without giving room for the leadership of the house to even comment.”

He continued, “This we find very strange, but this is a democracy. We believe as Mr. Speaker himself said, and I’ll quote him, that this calls for reflection…I will play that out to Mr. Speaker himself that we all need to reflect on the way forward as a nation.

“We all know that the very issue that was raised by honourable Dafeamekpor had to do with the continuing ministers who had been reshuffled to other ministries. The issue of the constitutionality of certain nominees had been determined by way of their going through the vetting process, a report coming before the house for debate and final decision. So, for me, these are two unrelated issues.”