A heated debate was generated in Parliament yesterday over whether or not a minister of state who has been given a new appointment could act in his old position.
The issue came up when the outgoing Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemani, scheduled to appear before the House to answer questions relating to the deterioration of the Tema Motorway, failed to appear.
His Deputy, Mr Isaac Agyei-Mensah, stood in his stead but before he could begin answering the questions, the Minority in the House, led by its Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, raised questions.
In his opinion, there was no Minister of Roads and Highways, as Alhaji Sulemani had been appointed Upper West Regional Minister in the latest ministerial reshuffle announced by the President.
For now, he said, there was no minister in charge of that ministry, as Parliament had not been informed of a replacement and also Alhaji Sulemani could not continue to hold himself up as such.
Ayariga's views
But the Minister of Information and Media Relations, Mahama Ayariga, intervened, saying that the convention had been that any time a minister was reshuffled, he continued to hold his old position until the transitional arrangements had been concluded.
He said Parliament would soon be informed as to who would occupy that position, adding that Alhaji Sulemani was acting until he had fully transited to his new position.
He said there were many precedents he could mention, and gave an example of a ministerial reshuffle that affected the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekondi, Papa Owusu Ankomah, during the New Patriotic Party (NPP) era, and said the Sekondi MP acted in his old position until he fully took over the new.
At that juncture, the Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, sought to know from Mr Ayariga who was actually the Minister of Roads and Highways.
Mr Ayariga stressed the point he had made earlier that Alhaji Sulemani was still acting in his old position.
Constitution review must address the issue
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, after the explanations, expressed the view that the constitution review coming up needed to address the issue.
He said it needed to be stated clearly in the country's laws whether a minister whose reshuffle had been announced could act in his or her old position.
That, in his opinion, would provide guidance on the issue and bring the matter to rest.
