Minority Leader and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has disclosed that government representatives personally appealed to the Minority to refrain from questioning the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Akweley Ocloo, during her vetting session on January 28, 2025.
Ocloo’s vetting, which lasted less than 10 minutes, raised eyebrows as it was uncharacteristically brief, with no questions posed by members of the committee.
The decision to allow her to pass without scrutiny has since sparked debates and speculations about the motivations behind such leniency.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, February 3, Afenyo-Markin provided clarity on the situation, stating that the Minority’s decision to remain silent was a direct response to a plea from government officials.
Afenyo-Markin further elaborated that government representatives cited Ocloo’s personal circumstances as part of their plea, noting that she is a widow and may not have been able to withstand the pressure of intense scrutiny.
“They came begging that the woman could not stand the scrutiny. So we just let her go…They came begging that the person could not stand the heat. They said she is a widow and that she could not stand the scrutiny, so we let her go. After all, she qualifies under Article 78 and so we let her go.”
Article 78 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana stipulates the qualifications for ministerial appointments, requiring that nominees be Members of Parliament or persons qualified to be elected as such. Given that Ocloo met these criteria, the Minority opted not to challenge her appointment.
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