Parliament Approves Ayariga By Consensus

Parliament has by consensus approved the nomination of former Presidential Spokesperson Mahama Ayariga as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry. Hon. Ayarigah was vetted alongside seven other Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial nominees about three weeks ago. All the seven other nominees who were vetted together with the former Presidential Spokesperson were earlier passed by the House. Hon Ayarigah�s nomination was however suspended; following uncertainties over the authenticity of a Commission of Human Rights and Administration Justice (CHRAJ) report that cleared him of any wrong doing in his acquisition of five tractors from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture last year. The Progressive Nationalist Forum had dragged him to the Commission, alleging that the purchase of the tractors under the Agric Mechanization Center Scheme was improper and amounted to abuse of office. The PNF claimed the tractors acquired by Mr. Ayariga formed part of some 2000 tractors and their accessories procured by the government of Ghana for underprivileged farmers across the country to boost food production and security in the country. But after examining all the evidence provided by the PNF and Ayariga, the Commission for Human Rights and dministrative Justice (CHRAJ), a day to Mr. Ayariga's vetting, said it came to the conclusion that Mr. Ayariga did not violate any regulations, neither was there any shred of evidence to substantiate the allegations against him. At a closed door meeting on Thursday 11th February 2009, the Appointment Committee resolved to officially write to CHRAJ on Friday 12th February to seek clarification on the commission�s ruling. According to a member of the appointment's committee, Hon Ata Akyea,after contacting CHRAJ, the committee got convinced that mahama Ayariga had been cleared of any malfeasance with regards to the purchase of the tractors. The committee therefore forwarded the report to parliament. The house after debating on the matter on Friday, March 12, approved the former presidential spokesperson's nomination by consensus. He will thus be sworn in soon by the president before he commences full business at the Trades Ministry as Hannah Tetteh's Deputy.