16 Months, 6 Dismissals…Who Is Next?

Just 16 months after President John Evans Atta Mills took over the Presidency, after winning the election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), it is becoming more evident that the people who were dying to serve in his government knew very little of the principles of the soft-spoken law professor.

He has often been referred to, by his political opponents, and even people from his own party, as the ‘Slow President’ whose pace of governance could have a toll on the party’s fortunes, come 2012.

But, the past 16 months of his reign as President, has revealed more of the man than has been seen outwardly, as he has since effected six high profile dismissals in his government.

They are Dr. Kwabena Donkor, Albert Abongo, Stephen S. Nayina, Dr. Kwame Ampofo, and the latest Mahmood Khalid.

The first minister to taste the whip was the young and energetic Minister of Sports, Alhaji Mubarak Muntaka, who had no option than to tender in his resignation, after fighting tirelessly to clear his name of the long list of allegations leveled against him by the Chief Director at the Ministry, Mr. Albert Anthony Ampong.

Also, as the debate over the ex-gratia raged on, the Minister-designate for Works and Housing and Member of Parliament (MP) for Talensi Nabdam, Mr. Moses Asaga, had his nomination withdrawn for ordering the payment of the controversial ex-gratia awards to some former state officials, when he was asked to take temporary responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.

But, these two were just the icing on the cake. The real shockers were yet to come, when the fates of government officials were left of government officials were left in the hands of the party footsoldiers.

The footsoldiers called the shots and Dr. Kwabena Donkor, deputy Minister of Energy and Albert Abongo, Minister of Minister of Works and Housing and Mr. Stephen S. Nanyina, Northern Regional Minister, became the first major causalities in Mills’ first ministerial reshuffle.

But, that was not enough to satisfy the party faithfuls who sought for more heads to roll in the Mills administration. As the heat intensified for the removal of the Dr. Kwame Ampofo, Managing Director of the country’s only refinery, Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) by workers of the refinery, and lo and behold, he was last week Wednesday booted out of office.

The most recent casualty, Mr. Mahmood Khalid, the Upper West Regional Minister, was sent packing out of office, after the regional executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) petitioned President Mills at the Castle, calling for his removal, and after irate party youth besieged the Regional Coordinating Council office to disrupt a bidding process that was to see the award of contracts for the construction of school projects.

The rage is ongoing, and the names on the lips of the power brokers of the party are not unknown.

The current Minister of Energy, Mr Oteng Adjei’s name has popped up in many agitations by workers of the Tema Oil Refinery, for allegedly sabotaging the operations of the refinery.

Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, has his neck on the chopping block as there are agitations for his removal over allegations of favouritism in the award of contracts to his family members and friend without following due process.

The seemingly bad blood brewing between the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey, and the Mayor of Accra, Mr. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, has become a concern to the party’s ‘power brokers’.

The President has ordered investigations into circumstances that lead to the dismissal of Alhaji Suleiman Abdul Rahman, School Feeding Programme boss, by the Local Government Minister, Joseph Yieleh Chireh.

His dismissal was attributed to non-performance, but the School Feeding Programme boss has since challenged the decision to sack him, and still remains at post.

The trend has become clearly evident, party members would only have to make ‘noise’ and the axe will fall.

The next potential victims are clearly emerging, and will the few weeks ahead see them packing out of office?