News
Mahama swears in Ato Forson, Haruna Iddrisu, four other Ministers
President John Dramani Mahama has today, January 22, 2024 swear into office six minister designates approved by parliament.
The ministers are Dr Ato Forson- Minister for Finance, John Jinapor- Minister for Energy & Green Transition, Dr Dominic Ayine- Attorney General &Minister for Justice, Haruna Iddrisu- Minister for Education Eric Opoku- Minister for Food and Agriculture and KwameAgbodza- Minister for Roads and Highways.
The swearing-in followed the approval by parliament after rigorous vetting by the Appointment Committee.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony which took place at the Jubilee House, President Mahama reiterated his administration’s commitment to being the leanest and most efficient in the nation’s history, capping ministerial appointments at a total of 60.
“As the ministers are approved by Parliament and as they are sworn in, I will proceed to name deputy ministers for some of the ministries, which will bring the total number of ministers to 60,” he stated.
He charged them to discharge their duties to alleviate the suffering of the Ghanaians and eschew the arrogance of power.
The President promised them that his doors would always be opened to assist them where need be.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
