The newly elected New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Walewale in the North East Region, Dr Tiah Kabiru Mahama, has expressed confidence in the ability of the Finance Minister-designate, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, pending his approval as Minister of Finance.

Dr Ato Forson was vetted by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, January 13, and is awaiting approval by the committee.

Speaking on Joy News' AM Show with Benjamin Akakpo on Tuesday, Dr Kabiru, while offering some praise for the Minister-designate, said he was “evasive” during the vetting process.

“My fair and candid assessment is that he was evasive in the law of response, and I can give you a litany of examples,” he said.

He continued, “He came in with a very good knowledge and, in fact, experience of the sector, but on minuscule and petty issues, instead of having a firm grip at his fingertips, he did not have them.”

Dr Kabiru pointed out some of the issues he considered “minuscule” and described Dr Ato Forson’s responses as evasive, particularly regarding questions about the School Feeding Programme and the Central Bank.

Despite these concerns, Dr Kabiru expressed confidence in Dr Ato Forson’s qualifications for the Finance Ministry.

“I don’t think Mr Ato Forson will do badly as Minister of Finance. I don’t think so. I think there are cardinal issues that we have… and we need the Ghanaian people to know and judge him according to that. The fact that we don’t have the opportunity to ventilate those concerns, the fact that we feel constrained, the fact that the Ghanaian people are entrusting the enviable position of Finance Minister to him,” he remarked.

Dr Kabiru also praised the Minister of Energy-designate, Mr Abdullai Jinapor, describing him as a “solid guy” and commended his performance during the vetting process.

“Jinapor is a solid guy… Jinapor understands his industry; he has it at his fingertips. Even though the question I asked him, he did not have the data readily available, he has at his fingertips the industry and how it plays. He comes off as someone who has studied the industry for a long time. And for me, his performance was generally okay,” he said.