The vetting process for the Deputy Minister-designate for Trade and Industry has been boycotted by members of the Minority Caucus on the Parliamentary Appointments Committee.

The Deputy Trade and Industry Minister-designate, Kofi Ahenkorah-Marfo, is scheduled to undergo a background check today, July 2, but according to a press statement issued by Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority members will not be present.

The Minority members claim they are unable to participate in the screening process because of the present economic challenges.

The caucus also mentioned foreign corporations that have left Ghana and stated that these situations call for a reduction in government, not an expansion of it.

“We are again unable to support this nomination by President Akufo-Addo at this time because our country has gone through (and continues to go through) very difficult periods, including the crippling economic crisis, food insecurity, debt default as a result of excessive borrowing, corruption in government and wasteful and reckless expenditures.

“With ordinary Ghanaians going through excruciating hardships and businesses relocating from Ghana as a result of the high tax regime created by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, one would have expected the President to downsize his already large government. This would have sent a signal to the people that the President was mindful of the economic realities and was willing to do things differently to restore the needed confidence in the economy.”

“We will not, and cannot, take part in a decision to further burden the already suffering Ghanaian, especially when the president is unmindful of the financial consequences of his bloated government,” the Minority members emphasized once more.