The African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has criticized the ongoing vetting of ministerial nominees, characterizing the process as deficient and lacking depth.According to ACEPA, the conduct of parliamentarians from both the majority and minority sides has impeded meaningful engagement, stifling comprehensive analysis of nominees on crucial national matters.Speaking to Citi News, Dr.

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Rasheed Draman, Executive Director of ACEPA, underscored the importance of revamping the Appointments Committee’s methodology to restore credibility and ensure the vetting process achieves its intended purpose.Dr. Draman emphasized that the current framework is ill-equipped to facilitate a substantive evaluation of nominees, particularly on significant issues impacting the country.

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He called for immediate reforms to enhance the committee’s effectiveness and transparency.“I think this process has been very unsatisfactory. There is a need for some serious rethinking about how the Appointments Committee conducts its business. We see, first of all, Members of Parliament, particularly those from the Minority, missing a very important opportunity to exact accountability from nominees.

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“They focus on trivial issues, issues that are not speaking to the competence, the integrity, and the fit of the person to the ministry or department that he or she is going to.“On the side of the members of the Majority, I think they have turned this whole process into some kind of friendly match. I mean, it is their colleagues from the same party, but I think we still have to take this business very seriously.”

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