IMANI Africa’s Kofi Bentil Defends Minority Leader’s Extended Questioning in Ministerial Vetting
Kofi Bentil, lawyer and Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, has defended the unlimited questioning time granted to Ghana’s Minority Leader during ministerial vetting, arguing that the process is fundamentally led by the opposition in Parliament.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, February 8, Mr Bentil emphasized that vetting is an inquisitorial exercise meant to scrutinize ministerial nominees rather than highlight their achievements.
“The unlimited time given to the Minority Leader is justifiable because it is really the minority that does the vetting. We are not looking for what is great about the person—we are trying to identify potential problems that can arise,” he stated.
His comments follow criticism directed at Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for his extensive questioning of President John Mahama’s ministerial appointees. While Afenyo-Markin has defended the approach as necessary, Mr Bentil however, cautioned against excessive use of time, describing a three-hour stretch as potentially unproductive.
Mr Bentil further justified certain probing questions, including inquiries about affiliations with secret societies, on the grounds that ideological or religious influences could affect a nominee’s policy decisions.
He also reiterated calls for parliamentary subcommittees to play a more central role in vetting, citing their sector-specific expertise. “It’s best that the parliamentary subcommittees, which have invested time in these issues, vet the nominees,” he stressed.
The vetting process continues to be a focal point of political debate, as Ghana’s Parliament scrutinizes key appointments in the new administration.
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