Mills Drops His Bomb Tetteh-Enyo, Zita Out Of Cabinet

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    In less than 24 hours after the national Petroleum Authority (NPA) increased petroleum prices by 30 percent, raising complaints and murmurings of its consequences on the population, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills has dropped his first bomb of the year, by reshuffling ten of his cabinet ministers, with indications of a further reshuffle.
    President Mills’ reshuffle, announced on the first working day of 2011, which he had earlier declared a year of action, came with a number of surprises and casualties.
    The much-expected reshuffle saw the exit of Mrs. Zita Sabah Okaikor, Minister of Tourism and Mr. Alex Tetteh-Enyo, Minister of Education.
    In a statement signed by Mr. J.K. Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the President, Mr. Martin A.B.K. Amidu, until yesterday the Minister for the Interior, has been moved to serve as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
    Mr. Amidu, who was the 2000 presidential election running mate to President Mills, was a former Deputy Attorney General under President Jerry John Rawlings’ administration.
    Mrs. Betty mould-Iddrisu, who was chastised by some members of the ruling party as being the cause of the number of cases lost at the law courts by the government, has been moved to the Ministry of Education to replace the outgoing Minister, Alex Tettey-Enyo.
    The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Sameul Ofoso-Ampofo, is to take over from Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh as the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.
    Mr. Ampofo, a former National Organiser of the national Democratic Congress (NDC), and who served in various capacities, was until yesterday, the Eastern Regional Minister.
    A legal guru, Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor, has been appointed Minister for the Interior. The new Interior Minister served as Deputy Minister of Health until his substantive Minister, Dr. Sipah Yankey, resigned to fight allegations of bribery against him, n what became known as the M&J saga, and was promoted the substantive Minister of Health.
    Ms. Akua Sena Dansua, Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi in the Volta Region, has been appointed Minister of Tourism, to replace Zita Okaikoi.
    Akua Dansua, who also received a number of flak by party members on a number of occasions, served as the Minister of Sports until her new appointment. Her former portfolio has been taken over by the Anlo Constituency legislator, Mr. Kofi Humado.
    Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh is the new minister of Health, after serving as the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, while Mr. Mike Hammah, MP for Efutu in the Central Region, has been moved to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. Mike Hammah was until yesterday, the Minister of Transport.
    Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has been moved to superintend the Ministry of Transport, with Dr. Kwesi Akyem Apea-Kubi appointed as the Eastern Regional Minister, to take over from Mr. Ofosu Ampofo.
    In the official press release, the President stated: “Further Ministerial, as well as Deputy Ministerial appointments will be announced in due course.”
    This latest move by the President has sent cold shivers down the spines of ministers and deputy ministers, according to political observers, as their fate was undecided.
    The jury is still out on whether or not the new look of the President’s team would complement his declaration of 2011 as a year of action.