“I was not appointed to win votes “

Upper East regional minister-designate, Albert Abongo, has denied suggestions that he has been appointed to win votes for the ruling party.

Member of Parliament for Menhyia South, Mathew Opoku Prempeh had suggested that Mr Abongo was selected for the region due to his ethnic background and to improve the electoral fortunes of the governing NDC.

But as Joy News Parliamentary correspondent, Elton John Brobbey reports, the nominee refuted the claims.

He said his role will be to promote regional cohesion and not to do the bidding of the NDC or help it win elections.

“I have been brought to run a region, I have not been nominated to go and run a political party. That is not going to be my role,” Mr Abongo told Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Monday.

When questioned about what accounted for the failure of the STX deal during his tenure as Minister for Water Resources Works and Housing and if he regretted that the deal was not successful, he indicated that his only regret was the man hours lost during the period the deal was being negotiated.

He, however, said that he was willing to subject himself to any form of scrutiny and if it is found that the country lost money as a result of the botched deal, he will accept any charge in that regard.

President John Evans Atta Mills, on January 27, 2011, cut the sod for the commencement of the $10 billion STX project, which at the time was expected to be the biggest investment made by the government in the housing sector.

The 30,000 affordable housing project was meant to provide accommodation for the country’s security agencies and public sector workers.

However, as a result of boardroom wrangling between the parties overseeing the project, the deal hit a dead end.

Minister designate for Youth and Sports, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, Central Region minister-designate, Kweku Rickett Hagan and four other appointees will also be vetted over the next three days.