Cabinet Reshuffle Doesn’t Change Everything But . . . – Kwesi Pratt | Politics

Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has dissented to arguments by some members of the governing New Patriotic Party and government officials that ministerial reshuffle is at the discretion of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Former Member of Parliament for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwah, responding to calls by the Alliance For Footsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA), a grassroot wing of the NPP, asserted that it is not a constitutional requirement that the President should reshuffle his Ministers.

“Let me put on record that it’s not constitutional injunction that the President should do a reshuffle whether he likes it or not. It’s not in any law in Ghana. It is rather an advice from some people that Mr. President, from where we sit, we suggest you changing some appointees will help . . . nobody can begrudge him,” he said while discussing the reshuffle and matter arising on Peace FM’s show “Kokrokoo” Friday morning.

The former MP strongly believes “Ghana is in competent hands”, adding that the President is very focused.

But Mr. Pratt, joining the panel discussion on the programme, deflated Collins Amankwah’s arguments and those who share similar views.

He argued that those calling for the reshuffle are key members of the party the President belongs to, therefore if the NPP members themselves agree that the President should change his Ministers, then it goes to tell how significant the reshuffle is.

“There is no President in this country who is independent and does whatever he wants. The constitution frowns on that. The President can be dismissed. We have the right to sack the President if he doesn’t perform effectively . . . If you find a President in a country who doesn’t listen to advice and adamantly does what he wants, that is called dictatorship.

“We all know that that agitation for reshuffle is largely coming from within the NPP . . . Let’s ask ourselves why are the NPP members, themselves, saying they need a reshuffle? First, the President has accepted that things are not going well. It’s not just the President who admits that things are not going well but some NPP bigwigs also say the same thing,” he stated. 

He exposited that having a reshuffle won’t end the sufferings of Ghanaians but it will definitely help the government.

“Truthfully, cabinet reshuffle doesn’t change everything. It doesn’t mean things will be okay but it has some other effects. If for nothing at all, the appointees come to a realization that they can be dismissed if they don’t perform . . . this helps government.”