Former Member of Parliament (PM) for Tamale Central Constituency, Inusah Fuseini says he is disappointed in some National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) Members of Parliament (MPs) for approving the nominations of then Information Minister-designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hawa Koomson and Minister-designate, for Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto during the plenary after they failed to pass the test of the minority and were rejected at the Appointments Committee level.
He said, “I’m shocked and somehow disappointed that members of the NDC side elected [chose] to cross over and vote for the Ministerial Nominees who were rejected by the NDC side in the Appointment Committee meeting.”
In his views, he believes the leadership of NDC caucus in Parliament has not gotten control over its members in the house or ‘a three-line whip’ was not used.
A three-line whip is a strict instruction to attend and vote according to a party’s position, breach of which would normally have serious consequences.
Sharing his sentiments on Critical Issues on A1Radio on Friday March 5, 2021,b the former MP said, “A three-line whip is simply that, no member can vote outside what the party or the caucus has decided, and when you vote, you must actually find a way to show that you have actually voted as directed [by leadership], and this wasn’t used.”
The NDC side objected to the approval of 3 Ministerial Nominees and published detailed reasons why they rejected them. When the house voted on whether or not to approve them, Hawa Koomson got 161 votes, this means at least 23 NDC MPs voted for her. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah obtained 155 votes. This means at least 17 NDC MPs voted for him. Lastly, Dr. Afriyie Akoto had 143 votes which means at least 5 NDC Members of parliament voted for him.
However, Mr Fuseini is of the view that, the NDC side of the house could have insisted and rejected the three nominees on principle or could have opted not to partake in the vetting of same nominees on principle.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHZ| James Nana Tsiquaye|Ghana
