Akufo-Addo's major reshuffle in 2019

After two years in office, many Ghanaians were expecting President Akufo-Addo to have made changes to his appointments.

This was expected because of the huge size of his government, but he insisted that he needed the 110 ministers to achieve his goals.

The call for a ministerial reshuffle is in consonance with best practices in developed as well as developing economies of the world.

On February 28, 2019, the president finally responded to the media speculations by making changes to his ministers, even though some of the changes involved musical chairs, given that most of the appointees were moved from one post to another.

Among the changes, was the removal of Catherine Afeku as the Minister for Tourism, Creative Arts and Culture.

She is now a Minister of State at the Presidency assigned to the Office of the Senior Minister.

Her position is now being handled by the Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley constituency and former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Barbara Oteng Gyasi.

Sulemana Alhassan, the Upper West Regional Minister was reassigned with his position which was taken over by Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih.

A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin said the Member of Parliament for Jaman South, Yaw Afful will become the Deputy Minister-designate for Aviation.

Other changes announced in the reshuffle were the coming of Gifty Twum Ampofo and Freda Prempeh as Deputy Education Minister and Deputy Gender, Children and Social Protection minister respectively.

Alex Abban, the Member of Parliament for Gomoa West constituency and Naana Eyiah, the Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central have been named Deputy Minister-designate for Health and Lands and Natural Resources respectively.

Below is the full statement from the presidency

PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO MAKES CHANGES TO HIS GOVERNMENT

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. Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley constituency and former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, is now the Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts;

2. Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih is now Upper West Regional Minister-designate. The former Regional Minister, Sulemana Alhassan, has been reassigned;

3. Hon. Catherine Afeku, Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira constituency and former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, is now a Minister of State at the Office of the President, assigned to the Office of the Senior Minister;

4. Hon. Gifty Twum Ampofo, Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North constituency and former Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, is now Deputy Minister for Education;

5. Hon. Freda Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Tano North constituency and former Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, is now Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection;

6. Hon. Barbara Ayisi Asher, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North constituency and former deputy Minister for Education, is now Deputy Minister for Works and Housing;

7. Hon. Naana Eyiah, Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central constituency, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources;

8. Hon. Alex Kodwo Kom Abban, Member of Parliament for Gomoa West constituency, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Health;

9. Hon. Yaw Afful, Member of Parliament for Jaman South, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Aviation.

President Akufo-Addo is hopeful that Parliament will expedite the vetting of the Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Regional Minister-designate for Upper West, as well as the deputy Ministers-designate for Aviation, Lands and Natural Resources, and Health so they can assume their respective offices as quickly as possible.

Eugene Arhin

Director of Communications