BY Grace Zigah
Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga has provided a rare personal moment during his parliamentary vetting after introducing Sunyani West MP Millicent Amankwah Yeboah as his new wife before the Appointments Committee.
The development occurred on Thursday, August 27, 2026, when Ayariga appeared before Parliament’s Appointments Committee for scrutiny following his nomination by President John Dramani Mahama to serve as Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
Before the committee proceeded with its policy questions, Ayariga introduced members of his family and supporters who had accompanied him to the vetting.
Among those present was Millicent Amankwah Yeboah, the sitting Member of Parliament for Sunyani West, whom he publicly identified as his wife.
This is about the third wife of the Bawku Central MP having had two previous marriages since he joined mainstream politics and all appeared to have collapsed. Mo reasons were adduced for the unsuccessful unions.
The introduction of the new wife immediately became one of the notable personal moments of an otherwise formal parliamentary exercise, bringing together two serving legislators of the Ninth Parliament under a relationship that had not featured prominently in the public space.
Amankwah Yeboah is a National Democratic Congress politician representing the Sunyani West constituency in the Bono Region. She entered Parliament on January 7, 2025, after successfully contesting the seat on the NDC ticket.
Her political journey to Parliament followed an earlier unsuccessful attempt in the 2020 elections. She returned to contest the constituency and won the seat in the subsequent election, becoming one of the youngest members of the current Parliament.
Her leadership experience began while she was at KNUST, where she served as the Students’ Representative Council Women’s Commissioner. Before entering full-time national politics, she worked as a branch manager for Verna Mineral Water in the Bono Region and later became Managing Director of MEA Connect Consultants.
The personal revelation came as Ayariga faced questions concerning his proposed mandate at the Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry.
During the vetting, he outlined a priority to establish nationwide infrastructure for property-rate collection, an issue he presented as part of his approach to strengthening local government revenue mobilisation.
He also addressed the controversial National Cathedral project, describing the initiative itself as a good idea but criticising what he characterised as poor execution.
Ayariga indicated that, if authorised, he would engage the Christian community on efforts to complete the project.
The minister-designate also responded to concerns surrounding chieftaincy matters, including a petition from the Mamprugu Traditional Council. He pledged that he would approach such matters with neutrality and fairness despite his maternal links to the Mamprusi ethnic group.
His appearance before the committee formed part of the government’s ongoing process of scrutinising nominees following President Mahama’s ministerial changes.
