Bono Minister-designate In Limbo …As Parliament Suspends Her Approval

The Bono regional Minister-designate, Evelyn Ama Kumi-Richardson, has been excluded from a list of nominees to be approved by Parliament.

The Minority say they want certificates on her doctorate degree after the MPs found she had been holding herself with the academic title.

Although her C.V makes no reference to her claim to hold a doctorate, North Tongu NDC MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa wanted answers.

Mrs. Kumi-Richardson, an NPP financier in the Bono Region, explained her attention was drawn to the need to obtain clearance from the National Accreditation before using the title.

The Appointments Committee wanted to be furnished with proof of her qualification which is yet to be provided. The C.V of the nominee states MBA in Hospitality and Hotel Management from the Paris Graduate School of Management as her highest qualification.

The nominee is also a former Senior Assistant Registrar at the Sunyani Technical University, before leaving her post in May 2017 when she was appointed Sunyani MCE.

A member of the Committee, Sampson Ahi, also explained the nominee was involved in a controversy over land as the Municipal Chief Executive for Sunyani, the regional capital.

There is also a query from auditors on a trip to Canada while she was MCE. According to Sampson Ahi, Evelyn Ama Kumi was asked in the query to refund some undisclosed monies.

But the 48-year old nominee maintained she has been cleared off any wrongdoing. But she is yet to provide proof of the clearance, the NDC MP for Bodi said.

Sampson Ahi does not want these issues to be trivialised, shrugging off a push by Ablekuma West MP, Ursula Owusu who highlighted the need to have more women in government.

“If she doesn’t provide documents to clarify her positions then we will decide on what to do with her,” Sampson Ahi dangled the prospect of rejecting the nomination of Evelyn Ama Kumi-Richardson.