Pro-democracy group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), has expressed surprise at the latest twist by the Presidency in reshuffling regional ministers.
The group believes it was an act of indecisiveness by President John Dramani Mahama, which clearly exposed him as a president with no blueprint for Ghana.
President Mahama on Monday reshuffled all his regional ministers, scattering them across the country barely a month after they took office.
However, AFAG slammed the reshuffle, saying there was some apparent confusion in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) with the president not exhibiting decisiveness in nominating the ministers in the first place.
‘AFAG is worried that at a time the outgoing regional ministers are handing over to the incoming ones, the President could announce these changes with such an excuse as due to political and technical coordination of the developmental efforts of MMDAs, and measures to foster national unity, integration and cohesion,’ the pro-democracy group stated.
Raising further concerns, AFAG quizzed, ‘When did the Presidency realize this dream of redirecting regional ministers, when he had appointed them not too long ago, and having articulated to the vetting committee their vision and programs for a particular region?
The group said President Mahama’s maiden reshuffle was an attempt to purely sway unfavorable public opinion and criticism with regards to his inability to tackle the energy crisis, water shortage, high fuel prices, gradual collapse of the NHIS and massive unemployment.
In reshuffling the ministers, President Mahama took the Ashanti Regional Minister, Samuel Sarpong, who was basking in the euphoria of his appointment to the Central Region to replace Ebenezer Kwadwo Teye Addo, who goes to the Western Region.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Eric Opoku, moves to the Ashanti Region while the Eastern Regional Minister, Julius Debrah, now goes to the Greater Accra Region with Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo going to the Volta Region.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Dr. Ephraim Avea Nsoh, who was sworn in last Thursday, was taken to the Upper West Region to take over from Bede Anwataazumo Ziedeng, who now heads to the Northern Region.
The Volta Regional Minister, Helen Adzoa Ntoso, moves to the Eastern Region with the Western Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo going to the Brong Ahafo Region.
The Minister of State for Scholarship at the Presidency, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru, who is a Gonja from the Northern region, now moves to the Upper East as acting Regional Minister.