President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo has finally released the names of persons he has nominated for various deputy ministerial positions, largely made up of first-time Members of Parliament (MPs).
The president has nominated four more ministers of state and 50 deputy ministers with the Ministries of Finance, Energy, Local Government and Rural Development, Information and Agriculture each having three deputy ministers.
A communication from the presidency to the speaker of parliament yesterday mentioned the Member of Parliament for Dome/Kwabenya and current deputy majority leader, Sarah Adwoa Safo, as the Minister of State at the Office of the President in-charge of Public Procurement; the MP for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong, Minister of State at the Office of the President; Dr Nurah Gyeile, Minister of State at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and a former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof Kwesi Yankah, Minister of State at the Ministry of Education in-charge of Tertiary Education.
Key Positions
The list, which has since been sent to Parliament House for vetting and possible approval, includes the MP for Obuasi West, Kwaku Kwarteng; MP for Atiwa East, Abena Osei Asare and son of the late Professor Albert Adu Boahen, Charles Adu-Boahen as Deputy Ministers of Finance.
For the Ministry of Energy, the president has nominated the MP for Afigya Kwabre South, William Owuraku Aidoo, his colleague MP for Effia, Joseph Cudjoe and the Executive Director at Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Dr. Mohammed Amin Anta, as Deputy Ministers while MP for Akuapem South, Osei Bonsu Amoah; MP for Offinso North, Augustine Collins Ntim and MP for New Juaben North head to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
Also on the card is the MP for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah; his colleague MP for Akropong, Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei and Perry Curtis Kwabla Okudzeto who have been nominated to become Deputy Ministers at the Ministry of Information.
Heading for the Agriculture Ministry as Deputies are the MP for Akim Oda, William Agyapong Quaitoo; MP for Walewale, Dr Sagre Bambangi and MP for New Eduabiase, George Oduro.
The MP for Tema West, Carlos Ahenkorah, has been nominated together with former GIPC boss, Robert Ahomka-Lindsey, as Deputy Ministers of Trade and Industry.
Also on the bill are the MPs for Ejisu Juaben and Lawra, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi and Anthony N-Yoh Puowele Karbo respectively for the Ministry of Roads and Highways as Deputy Ministers with MP for Atwima Nwabiagya, Benito Owusu Bio and his colleague MP for Prestea Huni Valley, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, heading for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
The MP for Tano North, Freda Prempeh, and the MP for Subin, Eugene Antwi, are to taste their first time in government, having been nominated to become Deputy Ministers for Works and Housing, with the MP for Bosomtwe, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the MP for Cape Coast North, Barbara Ayisi Asher, going to the Ministry of Education.
Lawyer Godfred Yeboah Dame and the MP for Tempane, Joseph Dinkiok Kpemka, have been nominated as Deputy Ministers at the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice while the MP for Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai, Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu, and the MP for Weija Gbewa, Tina Mensah, have been slated to become the Deputy Ministers of Health.
President Akufo-Addo has also appointed the MP for Berekum, Kwaku Agyenim Boateng, and the MP for Asante Akim North, Andrew Appiah-Kubi, as Deputy Ministers of Railways Development, with MP for Yendi, Habbib Tijani and the NPP Director of International Affairs, Charles Owiredu, going to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Others are the MP for Awutu Senya West, George Andah, and MP for La Dadekotopon, Vincent Sowah Odotei, Deputy Ministers of Communications, while the MP for Okaikoi Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, and MP for Krachi East, Michael Yaw Gyato, going to the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation as Deputies.
The rest include Nkoranza North MP, Major Derrick Oduro – Deputy Minister of Defence-designate; MP for Ayawaso Central, Henry Quartey – Deputy Minister-designate for the Interior; MP for Asokwa and the first female Mayor of Kumasi, Patricia Appiagyei – Deputy Minister-designate of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; Martin Agyei-Mensah Korsah – Deputy Minister-designate for the Ministry of Regional Reorganisation and Development, with the MP for Tema East, Nii Kwartei Titus Glover, designated for the Ministry of Transport as Deputy.
Others
Others are the MP Hemang Lower Denkyira, Bright Wireko Brobbey – designated as Deputy Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, MP for Ekumfi, Francis Kingsley Ato Cudjoe – Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture; MP for Takoradi, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah – Ministry of Aviation; MP for Jomoro, Paul Essien – Deputy Minister designate for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; MP for Abuakwa North, Gifty Twum-Ampofo – Deputy Minister designate for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Pius Enam Hadzide has also been nominated Deputy Minister-designate for Youth and Sports and the MP for Gushegu, Dr Ziblim Barri Iddi is the Deputy Minister-designate for Tourism, Creative Arts And Culture. The MP for Dormaa East, William Kwasi Sabi, has been penciled as Deputy Minister-designate for Monitoring and Evaluation.
Shock
The whole list has been referred to the Appointments Committee of Parliament for the vetting process to begin.
After the announcement in parliament, members of the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) expressed shock at what they described as the ‘huge list’ of deputy ministers-designate.
The minority chief whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, told journalists that the size of the NPP government under President Nana Akufo-Addo is “too outrageous,” saying now the number of ministers will add up to 110 – “which is the highest in the history of the Fourth Republic.”
He said the huge number of ministers would have serious consequences on the public purse, stressing that “What is more worrying is that President Akufo-Addo has appointed the experienced MPs who were heading the various committees of parliament into the executive.”
“President Nana Akufo-Addo wants to weaken parliament and also stifle its oversight responsibilities that is why he has appointed all these MPs who have huge parliamentary experiences and were heading the various standing and select committees of parliament.”
Meanwhile, four deputy regional ministers-designate were vetted by the Appointments Committee yesterday.
They are Deputy Regional Minister-designate for Brong-Ahafo and MP for Asunafo North, Evans Opoku Bobie; Deputy Minister-designate for the Eastern Region and MP for Upper Manya Krobo, Joseph Tetteh; Deputy Minister-designate for the Volta Region, Maxwell Qothy Blagodzi and Deputy Minister-designate for the Central Region, Thomas Yaw Adjei-Baffoe.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu & Thomas Fosu Jnr
