Three Deputies pledge support to ministers
Three deputy ministers designate have pledged to support their substantive ministers to implement projects and programmes which will improve the lives of Ghanaians. According to them they had no intention of indulging in acts that would undermine the directives of their superiors.
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They are Mr Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, Deputy Minister designate for Roads and Highways, Ms Patricia Appiagyei, Deputy Minister designate for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Mr Perry Kwabla Curtis Okudzeto, Deputy Minister designate for Information.
They made this known when they appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament last Wednesday.
The three nominees, who had their families present to support them, were asked to justify to the Appointments Committee why they should be given the nod to work at their respective ministries.
Roads and Highways
Outlining some of the programmes he intended to help introduce when given the chance, Mr Aduomi said all his work would be to assist his minister to roll out the government’s road projects.
He said he would work closely with his minister to execute road projects that would lead Ghana to attain its development goals.
Mr Aduomi spoke about his determination to ensure that road contracts were given to competent contractors, adding that “I will work with my minister to address any challenges affecting the smooth operations of contractors.”
He said the situation where payment of road contracts executed by contractors were delayed would be tackled, stressing that most contractors complained of delay in the payment of money owed them after work had been completed.
"This is not good considering the fact that they use loans to execute projects," Mr Aduomi said.
Since road construction and maintenance played a crucial role in the development of any country, he said, attention would be placed on supervision to ensure value for money.
Mr Aduomi also mentioned that some road projects mentioned in the budget would be executed on time.
Concerning congestion around tollbooths, Mr Aduomi stressed the need for expansion work to be done in those areas to pave way for vehicular flow.
Environmental Ministry
Touching on her role in the ministry, Ms Appiagyei said she would not work in isolation but seek direct authorisation and support from her minister, since both of them would be working for the same government.
Answering a question on the efficiency of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), she said she would support her minister to restructure the various committees so that they would pay more attention to issues of science, environment and innovations.
"This will be done with the Local Government Ministry and the various MMDAs," she added.
On the subject of the sustainable development goals, Ms Appiagyei said more focus would be shifted towards addressing sanitation problems, adding that liquid, solid and e-waste would be tackled.
"We propose the establishment of a plant to help us address the problem of e-waste. Already we have a private partner managing solid waste in the country and that needs to be supported," she stated.
Touching on renewable energy, Ms Appiagyei said she would support her minister to come up with more interventions to tap into that sector.
She also stressed the need for the establishment of an advisory council that would advise the government in the promotion of science.
"We need to allocate more resources to the science sector and also develop the interest of students to pursue it," Mr Appiagyei added.
Information Ministry
Mr Okudzeto pledged to give his full assistance to his minister in the delivery of the ministry's mandate.
Commenting on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's appointment of a large government, Mr Okudzeto said it was necessary because the President believed it would help deliver the promises he made to Ghanaians.
