Akufo-Addo's first ministerial reshuffle; Oppong Nkrumah promoted
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday made the first major changes to his government, 20 months after taking over as President of Ghana.
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Deputy Minister of Information and Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has been promoted as the substantive Minister of Information whilst Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has been moved from the Information Ministry to Inner City and Zongo Development.
Mr Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Member of Parliament for Madina constituency and former Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, is now Minister of State at the Office of the Vice President.
News of the changes had, since the sacking of Mr Boakye Agyarko as Minister of Energy, become rife in media circles, with many people speculating and coming up with their individual selections and list of ministers to be changed on social media.
Changes
A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, and issued in Accra announced the movement of the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources and Member of Parliament (MP) for Navrongo, Mr Kofi Adda to the Aviation Ministry.
He has swapped positions with Madam Cecilia Dapaah, while the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, steps in as Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
The statement announced the reassignment of the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba, as Ambassador to Italy, while Mrs Cynthia Morrison takes over from Ms Djaba as the substantive Minister.
In another case of swapping, Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, a Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, now becomes a Deputy Minister for Information, with Mr Perry Curtis Okudzeto going the other way.
Other changes
Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy, Madam Paulina Tangoba Abayage, is heading home as the Upper East Regional
The statement further said the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister and MP for Asunafo North, Mr Evans Opoku Bobie, has been nominated as the Brong Ahafo Regional
Read also: Boakye Agyarko sacked as Energy Minister
Below is a copy of the statement issued by the presidency announcing the changes.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has made the following changes to the composition of his government, with immediate effect:
1. John Peter Amewu, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and acting Minister for Energy, Is now Minister for Energy;
2. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Is now Minister for Lands and Natural Resources;
3. Hon. Kofi Adda, Member of Parliament for Navrongo constituency and former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, is now Minister for Aviation;
4. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, former Minister for Aviation, Is now Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources;
5. Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid former Minister for Information, Is now Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development;
6. Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofoase/Ayirebl constituency and former Deputy Minister for Information, Is now Minister for Information designate;
7. Hon. Cynthia Morrison, Member of Parliament for Agona West constituency, is now Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection designate;
8. Paulina Tangoba Abayage, former Ambassador to Italy, is now Upper East Regional Minister designate;
9. Hon. Evans Opoku Bobie, Member of Parliament for Asunafo North constituency and former deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, is now Brong Ahafo Regional Minister designate;
10. Hon. Martin Oti Gyarko, Member of Parliament for Techiman North constituency, is now Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister designate;
11. Hon. Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Member of Parliament for Madina constituency and former Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, is now Minister of State at the Office of the Vice President;
12. Rockson Bukari, former Upper East Regional Minister, is now Minister of State at the Office of the President;
13. Pius Enam Hadzide, former deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, is now Deputy Minister for Information;
14. Perry Curtis Okudzeto, former deputy Minister for Information, is now Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports; and
15. Otiko Afisa Djaba, former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, is now Ambassador-designate to Italy.
The statement signed and issued by Mr Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency said: "President Akufo-Addo is hopeful that Parliament will expedite the vetting of the Ministers-designate for Information, and Gender, Children and Social Protection, and the Regional Ministers-designate for Upper East and Brong Ahafo, as well as the deputy Regional Minister-designate for Brong Ahafo, so they can assume their respective offices as quickly as possible."