A former Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has described Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin’s election as Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic as a sign of a new era in Ghana’s politics.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday, Mr Spio-Garbrah said Mr Bagbin’s election indicated the end of “Winner Takes All.”
“…With his experience, he will be able to contribute to the nation’s democratic credentials. It is not surprising some Parliamentarians, knowing his competency and capability, put their partisan affiliation aside and voted Mr Bagbin in the interest of the nation,” he said.
Mr Spio-Gabrah said the current political atmosphere must guide President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to appoint ministers on merit other than political party affiliation.
“The President needs to make public appointments that both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians living and working in the country will appreciate. The Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement and other international companies have their headquarters in Ghana so we must have appointees in the national interest,” he said.
“Friends and Family must disappear with immediate effect from the appointments in the new government. All such highly qualified members of the current administration should do the President a favour and not seek any public reappointments,” Mr Spio-Garbrah said.
He said political developments in the country called for an urgent need to build a new national consensus that embraced all political persuasions in the interest of peaceful nation-building.
Mr Spio-Garbrah said the Government must demonstrate to the international community that it was ready to practice a government of national unity, where appointees could be selected from people outside political party circles.
“It has happened in Ghana under the reign of the late President Jerry John Rawlings and Former President John Agyekum Kufuor. They both appointed people from other political parties to serve in their governments,” he recalled.
He urged the President to ensure that the interests of all political parties were served because government would need the support of the Speaker of Parliament and the National Democratic Congress Caucus to pass bills.
Latest Stories
-
5 traits of sweet, committed men that may seem like red flags at first
1 hour -
We met on Twitter and our first date was a week-long road trip
1 hour -
The biggest mistake people make when meeting someone in person after talking online
1 hour -
I traveled 500 miles for a first date
1 hour -
My cousin saved my life and she never knew
2 hours -
Top UN court orders Israel to allow food and medical aid into Gaza
2 hours -
Fallen ‘Crypto King’ Sam Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraud
2 hours -
The architecture we have used to tackle housing deficit has not been robust enough – Oppong Nkrumah
2 hours -
Government suspends implementation of price Stabilisation and Recovery levy on petroleum products
3 hours -
Takoradi traders lament over low sales ahead of Easter
4 hours -
I’ve served Effia constituency well – Joseph Cudjoe
5 hours -
Michael Ampadu: One Student, One Tablet initiative will shape the future of education and innovation
5 hours -
I will partner you for development – Alan tells TUC
5 hours -
Malnutrition, anemia remain concern to UNICEF
5 hours -
Kasoa shrinking penis: Court remands Electrician over false alarm
5 hours