Ranking Member on the Constitutional, Legal Affairs Committee in Parliament is optimistic that the disparity between the Majority and Minority in Parliament over Chief Justice nominee’s vetting will be resolved before it spirals out of control.

Speaking on the PM Express on Monday, Inusah Fuseini believed Members on the Appointments Committee are reputable Parliamentarians who can discuss the issue and reach a consensus.

“It is not beyond reconciliation, because members of the Committee are members who have distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavours,” he said.

The president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday, December 12, 2019, nominated Justice Anin-Yeboah as Chief Justice pending Parliamentary approval.

Subsequently, Parliament set December 21, 2019, for the vetting of Chief Justice nominee, however, the Minority in Parliament says it won’t take part in the scheduled vetting.

They accuse the Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu of rushing approval of nominated Chief Justice and acting in bad faith.

Mr  Osei-Owusu who doubles as the First Deputy Speaker of the House, has fought off the claims by the Minority.

Mr Fuseini who is also Tamale Central MP indicated that the controversy has nothing to do with the nominee but to ensure that proper procedures are not surpassed by the majority.

“The basis of this present fracas between the Minority and Majority is just procedure and has nothing to do with the judges.   

“Vetting gives us the opportunities to ask all the tough questions to clarify the uncertainties in mind,” he added.

Mr Fuseini further described the controversy between the first deputy speaker and the Minority Chief Whip as ‘egoistic’.

“It is like two people saying, I will not agree with the proposal that you have brought.”

Former Dean Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Kofi Abotsi on his part, observed that there is a suspicion of bad faith from the Deputy Speaker to the Minority as well as forms of the Majority trying to ‘bulldoze their way through.’

“But I believe we can still save this process. There should be a lot of backchannel consideration and communication that can happen amongst the leadership of Parliament in order to ensure consensus.”

Mr Abotsi petitioned the Chairman of the Appointment’s Committee to consider some of his plans since his formulae could affect the nominee in the long run.

“When he (Mr Anin-Yeboah) is confirmed, I don’t think he would want to be remembered as the Chief Justice whose nominee, impending vetting, created so much political acrimony,” he said.