Parliament has officially approved 12 ministerial nominees, including Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and 10 others, following extensive debates and voting. However, the Minority Caucus strongly rejected Ablakwa’s nomination as Foreign Affairs Minister, symbolically disassociating themselves from his approval.
Approved Ministers-Designate and Their Portfolios
- Kwabena Mintah Akandoh – Minister-Designate for Health
- Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa – Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs
- Issifu Seidu – Minister-Designate for Climate Change and Sustainability
- Charity Gardiner – Minister-Designate for Ahafo Region
- Salisu Bi-Awuribe – Minister-Designate for Savannah Region
- Wilbert Petty Brentum – Minister-Designate for Western North Region
- Joseph Nelson – Minister-Designate for Western Region
- Joseph Addae Akwaboa – Minister-Designate for Bono Region
- Francis Owusu Antwi – Minister-Designate for Bono East Region
- Felix Kwakye Ofosu – Minister of State-Designate for Government Communications
- Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah – Minister-Designate for Central Region
- Charles Lwanga Puozuing – Minister-Designate for Upper West Region
Despite the overall approval of the nominees, the Minority Caucus led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin firmly rejected Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister.
In a dramatic gesture during the parliamentary session, Afenyo-Markin requested water to “wash their hands” of Ablakwa’s approval, stating:
“Give me water, we the minority wash our hands off the approval of Ablakwa. They should carry the sins of Ablakwa. The entire 88 MPs of the Minority hereby reject the nominee for the Foreign Affairs portfolio, and same should reflect in the Hansard.”
This rejection follows previous tensions during Ablakwa’s vetting process, with the Minority expressing dissatisfaction over his responses to key foreign policy issues.
While the rest of the ministerial nominees were broadly endorsed, the Minority’s rejection of Ablakwa underscores the political divisions within Parliament, signaling potential challenges ahead for his tenure as Foreign Affairs Minister.