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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
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
