Prez Did No Wrong Reshuffling Regional Ministers – Expert

A Local Governance Expert, Samuel Agyarqua, says he finds nothing wrong with President John Mahama’s decision to reshuffle regional ministers for the second time in barely a year. This follows president Mahama’s latest re-assignment of regional ministers to regions they formally served until they were shuffled in March 2013.

The presidency at the time explained that the exercise was to ensure that regional ministers focused mainly on the political and technical coordination of the development efforts of metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies. It was also intended to foster national unity, integration and cohesion. This happened a little over two months into the then administration.

In the latest reshuffle on Monday, the Flagstaff House in a statement signed by Communications Head at the Presidency, Ben Dotsei Malor, said Eric Opoku is returning to the Brong Ahafo Region, whiles Samuel Sarpong retreats to the Ashanti Region from the Central Region.

Helen Ntoso returns to the Volta Region from the Eastern Region. Julius Debrah moves to the Eastern Region, whiles Bede Ziedeng returns to the Upper West Region. Alhaji Limuna Muniru moves to the Northern Region, whiles Dr. Ephraim Avea Nsoh moves to the Upper East Region.

Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo returns to the Greater Accra Region from the Volta Region, whiles E. K. T. Addo returns to the Central Region. Paul Evans Aidoo also returns to the Western Region from the Brong Ahafo Region.

Some political watchers have questioned the sudden reshuffle wondering why the president will revisit the old notes he reviewed two months into his administration. There are also questions as to whether indeed the purpose of fostering national unity, integration and cohesion has been achieved during the period. Commenting on the development however, a Local Governance Expert, Samuel Agyarkwa, told Ultimate Radio he found nothing wrong with the sudden u-turn which he said was a normal part of decisions that comes with leadership.

“In leadership we call something innovation and re-innovation. You innovate to do something and if it is working well you can re-innovate it to do better and you can re-innovate it to change direction. It is just a matter of innovation and re-innovation and I don’t see anything wrong with it” he defended.

He told Ultimate Radio, it would be wrong for anyone to suggest the President has lost focus because he has retreated to the old system of having regional ministers hail from the very regions where they serve. The regional ministers are expected to assume their reassigned posts by March 15 2014.