Parliament has given its approval to six ministerial nominees appointed by President John Dramani Mahama, paving the way for their official swearing-in as substantive ministers. The approvals followed rigorous vetting by the Appointments Committee and subsequent debates in the House.
The latest set of appointees, including Kwame Governs Agbodza as Minister for Roads and Highways, Eric Opoku as Minister for Food and Agriculture, and Haruna Iddrisu as Minister for Education, were endorsed on Tuesday, January 21, during a sitting chaired by Second Deputy Speaker Andrew Asiamah Amoako.
Earlier on January 13, Parliament had also approved the nominations of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as Minister of Finance, John Abdulai Jinapor as Minister of Energy, and Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine as Minister of Justice and Attorney General. These approvals underscore President Mahama’s commitment to assembling a team to address key national priorities.
The nominees received endorsements from legislators across the aisle, who commended their qualifications and commitment to national service. Speaking on the floor, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin expressed optimism about the appointees’ ability to deliver on their mandates.
“They should not disappoint us. We wish them all the best,” other members of Parliament echoed.
With the approval of these six appointees, President Mahama’s administration takes another step toward fulfilling its governance agenda and addressing critical national challenges.
During his vetting, Haruna Iddrisu outlined plans to address Ghana’s educational infrastructure deficit by prioritizing the uncapping of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to improve the sector’s development.
Kwame Governs Agbodza emphasized reintroducing road tolls through advanced technological platforms to enhance revenue collection and reduce traffic congestion. Eric Opoku proposed establishing agricultural farms in Senior High Schools nationwide to leverage the country’s land resources and support the agricultural sector.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson committed to improving Ghana’s tax compliance to increase tax revenue without raising taxes, targeting a rise to 16% of GDP. John Abdulai Jinapor outlined a strategy to involve the private sector in the operations of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to boost efficiency and ensure reliable power distribution. Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, meanwhile, revealed plans to reintroduce a revamped public tribunal system to enhance access to justice and protect citizens’ rights.