The Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday commenced vetting of ministerial nominees appointed by President John Dramani Mahama, quizzing five of the nominees on issues bordering on their life experiences, academic qualification, among others.

The nominees included Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr for Central Region, Samuel Yaw Adusei, Ashanti Region; Justice Samuel Adjei, Brong Ahafo Region; Isaac N. Djanmah Vanderpuye, Greater Accra Region and Mavis Ama Frimpong for Eastern Region.

They all pledged to assist their respective substantive ministers to bring peace and development to the regions in line with the ‘Better Ghana’ Agenda of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

As usual, members of the Minority side on the committee were conspicuously absent from the vetting of the nominees.

Appearing before the parliamentary committee, Deputy Ashanti Regional minister-designate, Samuel Yaw Adusei pledged to help the regional minister to check the spate of robbery cases, which have recently become a disturbing episode in the region.

“I will help my minister to help devise strategies to combat crime in the region to ensure that residents in the region live in a peaceful environment,” he said.

Touching on illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey’, Mr. Adusei said he would work with security agencies to provide information on the exact areas and people behind those activities for an appropriate action to be taken. According to him, the activities of illegal miners had destroyed water bodies, which serve as drinking water for some communities. He reiterated his commitment to help fight the menace.

Deputy Brong-Ahafo regional minister-designate hinted that he would help the minister to execute the vision of President Mahama in the region.

He expressed commitment to assist the minister to partner the various district assemblies to develop strategies aimed at developing the various communities in the region.

Queenstar Sawyerr, who beat Kwesi Ahwoi with just three votes at NDC parliamentary primaries, also expressed commitment to help the minister to reduce extreme poverty in the region.

She said if given the nod, she would make efforts to implement a project, which she began on a pilot basis in her constituency to share Maths sets to students who take part in Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE). “Under this project, students will also be given free breakfast and lunch during the exams period. I will start from my constituency and help my minister to gradually replicate the project in all the 20 districts in the Central Region,” she said. The Deputy Eastern regional minister-designate, Mavis Frimpong told the Appointments Committee that she would work with her minister to tackle ‘galamsey,’ which has become a societal canker in the region.

Touching on HIV/AIDS, which she said had become a social problem in the region in recent years, the nominee said efforts would be made to bring the prevalence rate to zero.

Mr. Vanderpuye, who was accompanied by a team led by the Mayor of Accra, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije assured the members that he would work with the Greater Accra Regional Minister to enforce the law banning the use of motorbikes for commercial purposes, popularly known as “Okada” in the region.