Ayariga finally gets the nod

Page 3, March 13, 2010
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT has finally given approval to the nomination of the former Presidential Spokesperson, Mahama Ayariga, as the Deputy Minister-designate for the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The House endorsed the nomination of Mr Ayariga following the approval of the report of the Appointments Committee, which stated that the nominee had met the requirements of the Constitution and therefore recommended him by consensus to the House for approval.
The vetting of Mr Ayariga by the Appointments Committee of Parliament generated intense public interest as a result of five tractors he purchased from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
Before facing the committee, Mr Ayariga had appeared before the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to answer queries about the tractor saga and when he came face to face with the Appointments Committee, the issue featured prominently in the vetting.
When the committee delayed in presenting its report to the House for approval or otherwise, a lot of meanings were adduced, with some people saying that the committee wanted to review the CHRAJ verdict on the tractor matter.
However, some members of the committee supporting the motion moved by the Chairman of the committee, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, said that it was unfortunate that people gave all sorts of meanings to the deliberations of the committee.
The report of the committee explained that it never at any material moment concerned itself with a review of the findings of the CHRAJ in the matter relating to the nominee.
It explained that copies of the reports which were made available to the members of the committee were distributed to them just before the public hearing of the nominee began, adding that no member was able to read the contents either before or during the public hearing.
“The Committee is mindful of Articles 218 and 225 of the 1992 Constitution and also the enabling law, Act 456 of 1993, ensuing from Article 219, which defines the powers of the Commission and will not do anything to undermine the authority and integrity of the Commission”.
It said regarding the ruling of CHRAJ tendered in by the nominee, the committee wrote to CHRAJ to request a certified true copy of the ruling to ensure that what the nominee presented to the committee was not different.
The report added that CHRAJ gracefully supplied the committee with a certified copy of its0 decision on the matter.
According to the report, the committee had reservations about some of the answers by Mr Ayariga when he appeared before it, especially with regard to the brand, cost of specific make, and the application for the tractors supplied him by the MoFA.
“The committee wishes to admonish the nominee to be more candid and forthright in all his dealings in future,” the report stated.
After some members had contributed to the ensuing debate, the House approved the report when the Speaker, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, put the question which attracted no dissenting voice.