Minority’s 4 reasons for rejecting Hawa Koomson; No. 4 shocking

• Posted on March 2, 2021March 2, 2021
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The NDC members on the Appointment Committee of Parliament have given reasons for their rejection of three ministerial nominees of President Akufo-Addo.

Among these three is Member of Parliament (MP) for Awutu Senya East Constituency Mavis Hawa Koomson, who is the Minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.

The NDC caucus also rejected Ofoase Ayirebi MP Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister-designate for Information, and former Kwadaso MP Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture.

On Ms Koomson, who served as Minister for Special Development Initiatives in President Akufo-Addo’s first term, the NDC Caucus gave four reasons why they rejected her nomination after she faced the Appointments Committee on Thursday, February 18.

Firstly, the Caucus said Madam Hawa Koomson “could not provide convincing grounds for the shooting incident during the voter registration exercise in Kasoa on 20th July, 2020 even though we acknowledge her belated apology for her recklessly dangerous conduct”.

“Furthermore, claims of an ongoing investigation by the police did not come across as credible considering that there has been no update from the police more than 8 months after the unfortunate incident.

“Our checks also point to the fact that she has not provided any statement to the police as at yet.”

The Caucus’ third reason for her rejection was that “the nominee confirmed the identity of closed associates who have unleashed a reign of terror on helpless political opponents in the pursuit of their narrow political ends”.

Lastly, the NDC MPs said: “The Minister-designate displayed an alarmingly abysmal lack of knowledge on the sector she was nominated for, making her unfit for the portfolio and therefore untenable to secure the approval of members of the NDC caucus.”

By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh