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President Akufo-Addo reshuffles finally: See who is in, who is out
President Akufo-Addo is poised to announce his inaugural significant ministerial reshuffle today, Wednesday, February 14, marking the first major overhaul since assuming office in January 2017.
Sources within the Jubilee House, the government’s administrative headquarters, have disclosed this information to JoyNews.
Reports indicate considerable activity on the fourth floor of Jubilee House, where ministers potentially impacted by the reshuffle have been seen, along with other MPs anticipated to benefit from the impending changes.
Approximately 12 current ministers of state, including 10 cabinet ministers and two regional ministers, are likely to be affected by the reshuffle. Notably, several prominent government figures are expected to either lose their positions entirely or undergo significant reassignments.
On Tuesday, February 13, President Akufo-Addo held extensive discussions with ministers and deputy ministers who could be affected, as well as those joining or leaving his administration in the imminent reshuffle.
The Valentine’s Day announcement, expected at 11am, is a major, long-awaited reshuffle that will see some key government members, among them some who have held their posts for the past seven years, exit cabinet altogether, while others assume new roles.
Sources within government tell Myjoyonline.com that calls have since Tuesday night been going through to nominees and casualties to ensure a smooth exercise.
However, the sources speak of a very challenging exercise, as several nominees have been hesitant to accept their new roles, unsure how much of the enormous expectations they can deliver within the limited time left before the tenure of the administration expires.
Below are names and movements confirmed by our sources.
Exiting Government
Ken Ofori-Atta – Finance Minister
Freda Prempeh – Sanitation and Water Resources Minister
Dr. Mohammed Awa – Tourism Minister
Ambrose Dery – The Interior Minister
Dr Kwaku Afriyie – Environment Science, Technology and Innovation Minister
Kwasi Amoako-Attah – Roads and Highways Minister
Kwaku Agyeman Manu – Health Minister
Dan Kwaku Botwe – Local Government Minister
Zuweira Lariba – Gender Minister
New Nominations
Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover – Greater Accra Region
Henry Quartey – The Interior
Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam – Finance
Lydia Alhassan – Sanitation and Water Resources
Andrew Agyepa Mercer – Minister of Tourism
Ophelia Hayford Mensah – Environment Science, Technology and Innovation
Ms Fatimatu Abubakar – Information
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah – Works and Housing
Francis Asenso Boakye – Roads and Highways
Dr Bernard Okoe Boye – Health
Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah – Local Government
Darkoa Newman – Gender
The last government restructuring occurred a month earlier, after the resignations of former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen and Agriculture Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who stepped down to focus on their political campaigns.
Insiders reveal that the forthcoming reshuffle is anticipated to be far-reaching and was strategically postponed to coincide with the conclusion of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential and parliamentary primaries.
The primaries, held on January 27, aimed to shield ministers from potential electoral setbacks while transitioning to new roles, mitigating additional emotional strain.
Originally slated for December, the reshuffle was rescheduled to February post the governing party’s internal elections to preempt unsuccessful candidates from attributing their loss to the president.
Last week, 24 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) were relieved of their duties, with 26 replacements appointed, as part of efforts to reinvigorate local governance.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Entertainment
Breaking News: Daddy Lumba is dead – Family announces
Ghanaian music legend Charles Kojo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, has died.
His family confirmed the sad news in a press release issued on Saturday, saying the 60-year-old passed away earlier in the day after a short illness.
“It is with profound sorrow and deep grief that the Fosu family announces the passing of Ghana’s beloved musical icon,” the statement read.
Daddy Lumba was one of Ghana’s most celebrated highlife musicians. With a career spanning more than three decades, his songs touched millions, telling stories of love, pain, joy, and hope.
He was known for his powerful voice, emotional lyrics, and unique style that made him a household name across the country and beyond.
“His soulful voice provided the soundtrack to our love stories, and his poignant lyrics captured the poetry of our struggles, dreams, and resilience,” the family said.
The family has asked for privacy as they mourn their loss and promised to announce funeral arrangements in the coming days.
The statement was signed by Fati Ali Yallah, a lawyer from Baba Jamal & Associates, on behalf of the Fosu family.
Fans, fellow musicians, and Ghanaians across the country have started pouring out tributes on social media, remembering Daddy Lumba’s unmatched contribution to Ghanaian music.
Entertainment
Edem’s debut album gets praise from Sarkodie
Ghanaian rap star Sarkodie has celebrated fellow artiste Edem for his groundbreaking debut album “The Volta Regime”, calling it one of the greatest albums in Ghana’s music history.
In a heartfelt social media post, Sarkodie, whose real name is Michael Owusu Addo, reflected on the first time he heard Edem rap.
He said he was instantly impressed and knew Edem would have a serious impact on the music scene.
“I remember when I first encountered my brother Edem, I came back home to tell one of my hommies that this guy will have a serious impact on the music scene,”
“He was like naa because of the language barrier. I said I don’t hear language, I hear greatness. Big up my brother, you are still on my favourite emcee list.” Sarkodie wrote.
Edem, born Denning Edem Hotor, released The Volta Regime in 2009. The album boldly embraced the Ewe language and featured collaborations with top Ghanaian artists including Tinny, Kwabena Kwabena, and Jeremie Van-Garshong.
Despite initial doubts about how well Ewe rap would perform commercially, the album proved to be a major success and introduced a new wave of local-language hip-hop.
Songs like Bra Fre Me, Nyorvuviade, and the powerful Intro helped establish Edem’s lyrical prowess and cemented his place as a unique voice in the Ghanaian music industry.
At a time when the local scene was dominated by Twi and Ga-speaking rappers, Edem’s success broke barriers and made it clear that talent speaks louder than language.
His impact opened doors for more linguistic diversity in hiplife and hip-hop music across the country.
Sarkodie’s tribute is especially meaningful because both artists emerged around the same period. Sarkodie’s own debut album Makye also dropped in 2009, and the two have long shown mutual respect for each other’s craft.
Today, over 15 years after its release, The Volta Regime continues to inspire fans and artists alike. It remains a symbol of bold originality and cultural pride.
Edem has since released several projects and remains an active voice in Ghanaian music and youth advocacy. His legacy is a reminder that true greatness is not limited by language.
