On Friday, March 24, 2023, all six ministerial nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo were approved by a majority vote in Parliament, despite a directive from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its members to reject them. In response, the NDC expressed disappointment and condemned some of its MPs who voted for the nominees, accusing them of placing personal interests above those of the party and the nation.
In a statement, the NDC’s General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, expressed the party’s disapproval of the conduct of the MPs who voted for the nominees against the party’s directive. The NDC praised the MPs who voted against the nominees and reiterated its opposition to the approval of the ministers on the basis of the government’s size amid the economic challenges facing the country.
The NDC called for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his government and prioritize the needs of Ghanaians during these difficult times. The party also commended the leadership of the Minority caucus in Parliament and vowed to publicly acknowledge and applaud MPs who stayed true to the party’s expectations and the interests of the Ghanaian people.
Read the full statement by the NDC below:
NDC REAFFIRMS ITS POSITION ON THE NEED FOR THE PRESIDENT TO DOWNSIZE HIS GOVERNMENT IN THE WAKE OF PARLIAMENT’S APPROVAL OF NEW MINISTERIAL NOMINEES.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken notice of the outcome of a vote on new Ministerial nominees on the floor of Parliament, yesterday, 24th March, 2023.
Ghanaians would recall that the party issued a directive to the Minority Caucus in Parliament to reject the new Ministerial nominees a few weeks ago. This was in alignment with the pervasive view of Ghanaians that this moment of economic crisis and financial haircuts, calls for the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to show by example that it is willing to reduce its expenditure by downsizing its government among other things.
We note however, that some Members of Parliament on the side of the NDC Minority for reasons known to themselves, elected to place their parochial interest ahead of the interest of Ghanaians.
The party, on behalf of all Ghanaians, condemns this conduct in no uncertain terms, as it not only betrays the expressed will of the party, but the desire of the Ghanaian people and constitutes a massive stab in the back of the good people of Ghana.
The party wishes to reaffirm its principled position for President Akufo-Addo to downsize his bloated government and reset his priorities to reflect the difficult times Ghanaians find themselves in.
The party commends highly, the leadership of the Minority caucus in Parliament and Members of Parliament who stayed true to the expectations of the party and the Ghanaian people. We will stop at nothing to identify them and publicly laud them in due course. Their loyalty and patriotism will not be forgotten.
It must be noted that, the National Democratic Congress as a body corporate, has multiple structures, represented by elected and appointed officers who are expected to act in the supreme interest of suffering Ghanaians, particularly the over six (6) million supporters of the party. The party as a corporate entity therefore bears no liability for the deviant action of the few self-seeking Members of Parliament who betrayed the collective cause of the party and the nation.
Undoubtedly, our country currently faces the biggest economic meltdown in living memory. It is therefore unpardonable for any person, not to talk of a Member of Parliament who believes in the ideals of the NDC, to lend support to the ongoing recklessness by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government.
The NDC shall continue to hold the government accountable for the socio-economic quandary that our country finds itself and present our superior alternatives to Ghanaians in our bid to rescue the soul of our nation.
We are not oblivious of the fact that, the road to rescue will at a point become rough, howbeit such obstacles only strengthen our resolve to achieve the rescue mission. We shall leave no stone unturned in our quest to bring our dear nation out of our present economic doldrums.
Signed.
Comrade Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
General Secretary
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