The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate appearance of three ministers before the House to answer questions on a number of issues it says have generated widespread public concern, including recent flooding in Accra, the repatriation of Ghanaians from South Africa and visa-related challenges linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The ministers being targeted are the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei; and the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams.
The demand was made on Monday, June 9, during deliberations on the Business Statement for the coming week, with Minority members questioning why the ministers had not been scheduled to brief Parliament on matters they described as being of significant national importance.
According to JoyNews Parliamentary Correspondent James Avedzi, the First Deputy Minority Whip and Member of Parliament for Tolon, Habib Iddrisu, expressed concern over the absence of both the Foreign Affairs Minister and the Sports Minister from the parliamentary programme despite growing public interest in the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa and reports of visa rejections affecting some prospective World Cup travellers.
Mr Iddrisu argued that Parliament has a constitutional duty to hold the Executive accountable, particularly on issues that have attracted public attention and raised questions about government policy and implementation.
He maintained that with the FIFA World Cup less than 48 hours away, Parliament should receive a comprehensive briefing on the visa-related difficulties encountered by some applicants and the measures being taken to address the situation.
The Tolon MP further called for an update on the circumstances surrounding the recent repatriation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa amid reports of xenophobic attacks and security concerns affecting sections of the migrant community.
Flooding Concerns
The Minority also raised concerns about the recent flooding incidents that affected several parts of the Greater Accra Region following heavy rainfall over the weekend.
The Member of Parliament for Effia, Isaac Nyarko Boamah, called on the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources to appear before Parliament and provide details of the government’s response to the recurring flooding problem.
According to him, the persistent floods continue to expose deficiencies in the country’s drainage infrastructure and urban planning systems, leading to property damage, displacement of residents and disruptions to economic activities.
Mr Boamah argued that Parliament must be briefed on both immediate and long-term interventions being implemented to mitigate the impact of flooding, especially as the country enters the peak of the rainy season.
The recent rains left several roads submerged, caused widespread traffic congestion across parts of Accra and renewed public calls for sustainable solutions to the capital’s perennial flooding challenges.
The Minority insists that the appearance of the three ministers before Parliament is necessary to ensure transparency, accountability and public confidence in the government’s handling of these issues.
