Executive Director of Parliamentary Network Africa, Sammy Obeng, has called on the Appointments Committee to implement structured time allocations during ministerial vetting to avoid excessive and unproductive questioning.

He believes that clear time limits would make the process more efficient, fair, and orderly.

Speaking on the JoyNews AM Show, Mr Obeng drew comparisons to other parliamentary sessions, such as the State of the Nation address or budget debates, where MPs are given specific time slots.

Junior members typically receive 5 minutes, while senior MPs or front-benchers are allotted up to 15 minutes.

He suggested that the same system should be applied during ministerial vetting, with each nominee being questioned within a set time frame of 10 to 15 minutes.

“If MPs are given 10 to 15 minutes to question a nominee, they should be able to ask as many questions as they can within that time,” he said.

He stressed that the focus should be on managing time effectively rather than limiting the number of questions. If a nominee avoids answering or strays from the topic, the questioning should continue to ensure the process remains on track.

He also referenced the example of Afenyo-Markin, Member of Parliament for Effutu, saying, “If Afenyo-Markin is given 10 to 15 minutes to ask questions, he should be able to ask as many as 110 or more, but the time must be strictly controlled.”

He emphasised that the key to an orderly vetting process is ensuring that time limits are adhered to, rather than allowing questioning to become excessive.

He pointed out that many parliamentary systems worldwide use time limits to maintain fairness and efficiency.

He called for capping the time allocated for questioning nominees rather than limiting the number of questions MPs can ask.

Mr Obeng believes this approach would result in a more structured, fair, and productive process that benefits both the nominees and the committee, he said.