Kofi Amankwah-Manu, the Member of Parliament for Atwima Kwanwoma and former Deputy Defence Minister, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama for the prolonged delay in appointing a substantive Minister of Defence following the passing of Dr Omane Boamah.
The lawmaker described the eight-month vacancy as “unpardonable”, arguing that there is no valid excuse for leaving such a critical sector without a confirmed head for nearly three-quarters of a year.
During an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Amankwah-Manu dismissed claims that the President has delayed the appointment because he has yet to find a candidate as trustworthy as the late Dr Boamah.
The MP, who is also deputy ranking on the Defence and Interior Committee, argued that with rising global instability and the recent attack on Ghana’s peacekeeping station in Lebanon, the ministry requires immediate leadership.
“We currently don’t have a minister of defence, and that is troubling. The Defence Ministry is a sensitive ministry, and we cannot allow a vacuum. A lot of times, people take security issues for granted until there is a problem. It is always better to be prepared than to be overtaken by eventualities.
Although we have a deputy defence minister, we need a substantive minister. I have been a deputy minister before, and it is not every decision you can take in the spur of the moment,” he told host Kwabena Agyapong.
Responding specifically to the notion that a suitable replacement is hard to find, the MP insisted that the ruling party has no shortage of talent.
“This argument has no grounds or merit. There are equally competent personalities in the NDC who can be appointed. It would be surprising or shocking to assume that Dr Boamah was the only one who could have done this job. That can never be true.
It is therefore surprising that up until now, we have not found someone to be appointed. It is true the President trusted Dr Boamah, but unfortunately, he is no longer with us. Should Ghana burn because we do not have a minister? We know individuals in Parliament who are well-versed in security matters and could work as defence minister, so we don’t know what is preventing the president from appointing one.”
In a related matter, the former deputy minister called on the United Nations to take immediate action following a missile attack on Ghana’s peacekeeping zone in Lebanon. He emphasised that the UN must prioritise the protection of peacekeepers who sacrifice their safety to ensure global stability.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
