Former Member of Parliament for Buem, Daniel Asiamah has described the appointment of Haruna Iddrisu to lead the Ministry of Education as a perfect fit.
Speaking on Starr FM‘s Weekly Review segment with Naa Dedei Tettey, the former lawmaker who served with Mr. Iddrisu in the House said there appeared to be a consensus within the political space on the appointee’s capacity to deliver in the crucial ministry.
“I’ve listened to people of all shades of the political arena and none of them is saying that this person is bad. Haruna is the type of person that I see personally to fit that particular position very very well, he said of his former colleague.
Mr. Asiamah said the education sector had been crippled with several challenges including arrears to public schools, which required an individual as level-headed as Mr. Iddrisu who can sit with stakeholders and reach amicable solutions with them.
“We need somebody who can sit at the table with teacher unions, with academia, to find ways to solve the national problem,” he said during the discussion.
The former legislator described the state of the country as a “deficit position in terms of resources and management,” requiring a consensus-building leader in the Education Ministry to produce results.
Citing Mr. Iddrisu’s previous stint in government, the former Buem MP said the Tamale South MP had a track record of delivering results.
“Haruna has done it before. He was Minister of Labour and Employment. And during his time, he was able to contain the labour agitations and even support pharmaceutical companies I know of, to produce anti-retroviral drugs in this country,” he said.
Haruna Iddrisu’s appointment to the Ministry of Education has raised eyebrows in the sector as he was not widely tipped to lead the crucial government department.
Among his priorities will be implementing the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) review of the Free Senior High School policy and addressing the ballooning debts incurred by many second-cycle schools.
He is expected to appear before the Appointments Committee of Parliament in the coming days for vetting.
