The first meeting of the first session of the Ninth Parliament has been suspended until Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

This is to enable the Appointments Committee of Parliament, to vet new ministerial nominees by President John Dramani Mahama and refer them to the plenary for approval or otherwise.

The suspension period is also to be used to organize a four-day orientation workshop, especially for new legislators to acquaint themselves with the rudiments and procedures of the House.

As of Thursday, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, had received and referred three ministerial nominees to the Appointments Committee for consideration.

That followed the release of a letter containing the first batch of ministerial appointments from the Presidency to the Speaker.

The nominees are the Majority Leader and MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson as Minister-designate for Finance; John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister-designate for Energy and Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice-designate.

Justifying the need for the House, which began sitting on January 8, 2025, to adjourn for 12 days, the Majority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza, told the House, presided over by the First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, that some names came out yesterday and were referred to the Appointments Committee. 

“Sometimes the President communicates to the House and in some circumstance, the action is taken and then whenever Parliament is properly constituted, the Speaker reads out the communication to the House.

“We agreed that if it would please the House if further communication comes to the attention of Mr Speaker that requires a referral, he can go ahead and make those referrals and when we return on Tuesday then Mr Speaker can bring that to the attention of the House,” he said. 

Supporting the justification by Mr Agbodza, a Minority MP, Patrick Yaw Boamah, said the House would be expecting a supplementary list from the President on his nomination. 

“We know that list has kept a lot of my colleagues in the Chamber and I believe when the list is submitted to Mr Speaker, we will go through the motions. But I will indulge Mr Speaker and the President and take it through the Appointments Committee as said. 

“So just keep your nerves cool, once the list is submitted, we will work on it,” he assured,” he said.