Parliament’s Appointments Committee has cleared three deputy ministers-designate for approval by Ghana’s Parliament.

The three appointees are Emmanuel Bombande, Joseph Anmgmor Tetteh and John Oti Bless. The committee unanimously approved the appointment of the three as deputy ministers of foreign affairs, Eastern region and local government respectively.

But there were issues with the change of name of the Deputy Minister-designate of Local government. Oti Bless had issues with the change of his name from Kopi John Kwabena to his current name.

He presented an affidavit issued in February 2005, where he had changed his name from Kopi Kwabena John to John Oti Kwabena Bless. But the curriculum vitae and some certificates he presented to the Appointment Committee had the name John Bless Oti. He maintained that Oti is his surname and that the arrangement is what had caused the issues.

The committee, therefore, asked him to get an original certificate from the Senior High School he attended (Nkwanta Senior High School) which has his original name from birth before the committee decided whether to approve his nomination or not.

Despite the request, the committee has recommended the MP for Nkwanta North and the two others for approval.