Parliament has rejected the nomination of Rev. Dr Akwasi Owusu-Bi as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and PSI.

The House has also deferred until further notice the approval of Mr Kenwood Nuworsu as Deputy Minister of Manpower Youth and Employment and Ms. Victoria Bright as Deputy Minister at the office of the President.

The House took the decisions after the Chairman of the Appointments Committee of Parliament; Freddie Blay had moved a motion for the approval of the last 14 Ministerial nominees who were vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament last week.

The other 11 nominees were however approved unanimously by the House making the total number of approved nominees 23.

The rejection of Rev. Dr Akwasi Owusu-Bi’s nomination was based on inconsistent answers he provided to some questions which were asked by the Appointments Committee while the deferment of the nominations of Mr Kenwood Nuworsu and Ms Victoria Bright was aimed at giving the Appointments Committee more time to investigate some issues about the nominees.

Hon. Freddie Blay, Chairman of the Appointments Committee described the decision of the House as an evidence of deepening democracy in the country.

Parliament rises on Tuesday, and so resumed sitting today in a bid to complete the task of approving the President's nominees for ministerial jobs.

The Appointments committee is expected to present its report to the House for consideration today.

The Committee sat last Saturday to complete vetting of three nominees; Frank Agyekum for deputy Information Minister, Frederick Opare Ansah for deputy Communications Minister and Maxwell Kofi Jumah for deputy Local Government, Rural Development and Environment.