13.7 C
London
Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Disloyalty Will Not Be Tolerated’ – Akufo-Addo Swears In Deputies

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has warned deputy regional ministers that acts of disloyalty or subversion will not be tolerated.

“I will not countenance any acts of disloyalty or subversion of your minister for I will take such an act as disloyalty to me personally and by inference ..to the party and to the state”.

He said this when he swore in ten deputy regional ministers last night at the presidency.

Referring to Article 256 of the 1992 constitution, the President gave a general outline of the role of a deputy minister.

The Article states; (1) The President shall, with the prior approval of Parliament, appoint for each region, a Minister of State who shall –

(a) represent the President in the region; and (b) be responsible for the co-ordination and direction of the administrative machinery in the region.

(2) The President may, in consultation with the Minister of State for a region and with the prior approval of Parliament, appoint for the regional Deputy Minister or Deputy Ministers to perform such functions as the President may determine.

The president said the underlining implication of this provision is that a deputy minister is supposed to assist the minister to succeed.

“Loyalty to the minister is the fundamental premise to the success of your work”. He warned that any deputy who adopts underhand tactics as a route to advancement is “sadly mistaken”.

Under the former NDC government, a poster example of political in-fighting is seen in reported friction between the former Gender and Social Protection minister Nana Oye Lithur and her deputy Rachel Florence Appoh.

The potential for political in-fighting is real in the Akufo-Addo presidency, the president assembling the largest government ever in the history of Ghana.

He wants 110 ministers and deputies. In an unusual move, he has appointed as many as three deputies for six ministries –  Energy, Information, Finance, Agriculture and Local Government ministries.

There will be Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture and a Minister of Agriculture with three deputies. It does not end there as there is also a Minister of Fisheries And Aquaculture with a deputy.

Government has nominated a Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education along with a Minister of Education who will also have two deputies.

-Myjoyonline

Latest news
Related news
- Advertisement -