Dr. Clement Apaak is the Deputy Minister of Education-designate
The Deputy Minister of Education-designate, Dr. Clement Abass Apaak demonstrated a high level of maturity and accountability during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
The lawmaker displayed humility when, in response to a request from the Ranking Member of the Committee, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, offered an apology and retracted certain statements he had made in the past regarding the former New Patriotic Party government.
Afenyo-Markin confronted Dr. Apaak, referencing a statement made by him on his X account dated September 2024.
The statement in question, which characterised the former Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led government as “corrupt, useless, and reckless,” accused the previous administration of failing to take decisive action against illegal mining.
Dr. Apaak further alleged that members of the New Patriotic Party were benefiting from the destruction of forest reserves and water bodies caused by illegal mining activities.
However, Afenyo-Markin took the opportunity to voice his concerns and dissatisfaction with the tone and language used by the deputy minister-designate when addressing the former leaders, demanding both an apology and a retraction of the statement.
“Do you stand by this statement or you believe that with the benefit of hindsight, you could have used a more measured language as a politician? I understand you made this in the heat of the campaign but would you say that you could have been more measured in the language you used?” Afenyo-Markin said.
Dr. Apaak backtracked on his earlier statement admitting that the language used against Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia were inappropriate.
“I must admit that the language was rather harsh, I’m grateful,” he conceded.
He went ahead to apologise for claiming that the former government was profiting from the destructions caused by illegal miners, explaining that his statement was influenced by the findings from a report by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, a former Chairman of the Inter Ministerial Committee on Illegal Minning.
The committee was tasked to conduct findings on the effects of small-scale mining activities in the country.
“Whiles it is fair to admit that the content of this post could have been better presented, I must admit that it was influenced by the Prof. Frimpong Boateng statement as contained in the report that was in the public domain for discussion.
“Given the context provided, it is only fair and appropriate that I concede. I was rather too excessive in blaming an entire government for the infractions of a few, I’m grateful,” he added.
His vetting however proceeded smoothly after his apologies.
See a screenshot of the post Dr. Apaak apologised for
The corrupt, useless, and reckless Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP gov’t would rather deploy the military to chase phantom grain smugglers than deploy the military to deal with the galamsey menace. Then again, what do you expect from a government/party that is profiting from the…
— Dr. Clement Abas Apaak (@DrApaak) September 4, 2024
MAG/EK
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