Pratt: Parliament Partly To Be Blamed For Approving Mediocre Ministers Like Vicky Hammah

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper has severely censured members of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee for what he considers as a dereliction of their core duties.


Kwesi Pratt Jnr, contributing on Peace FM's flagship programme, “Kokrokoo”, condemned the Appointments Committee for approving Ministers like the dismissed Deputy Communications Minister, Victoria Hammah.

The Deputy Communications Minister, who until recently was nursing an ambition to amass huge wealth to herself in her political career, saw her dream crushed into pieces when President John Mahama issued a statement via the Information Ministry to remove her from office.

Following her unrestrained revelations in an emotive conversation with a female interlocutor, Ms. Hammah disclosed some activities undertaken by a section of government officials, under the cloud of darkness.

She was caught on tape to have said that the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, prior to the Supreme Court verdict on the opposition NPP’s Presidential election petition conferred with the Justices which somehow resulted in the validation of the presidency of John Mahama.

Mr. Pratt, commenting on the issue, lambasted the Appointments Committee for lack of due diligence before and during the vetting of the former Deputy Communications Minister and other appointees of her ilk.

According to him, the Appointments Committee members, whether from the minority or majority side, all have their own agenda to the detriment of their constituents. He disclosed that he once spoke with some Committee members on the Minority’s side, and what they said was that “If the President has appointed incompetent people; it’s his own cup of tea. We will approve their vetting so that they can bring dishonor to his administration." 

He added that those in government also go to every length to approve the president’s nominee because "they don’t want to have any problems with the Head of State. That is why we are getting this caliber of people as Ministers.” "Should that be the attitude? Is that how people on the Appointments Committee should behave?” he queried. Clearly angered by the conduct of some under-performing appointees, the “Insight” Newspaper Editor also called for a major "shake up" in government saying unless this is done, there is “no hope” for the country. “It is time for a major shake-up in government. People must be sacked; he [President John Mahama] needs to crack the whip to send a signal…For the past one week, Vikileaks everywhere and you are not worried that there is this major diversion from government programmes?...The Head of State must wake up and crack the whip what is this," he exclaimed.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana