Bawumia ‘coordinates the whole government business’ hence needs a Minister – Abu Jinapor

Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor has justified the decision to assign a minister to the Vice President’s office, arguing the said office literally coordinates the entire government business.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in his first-ever reshuffle, reassigned Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, Boniface Saddique Abubakar to the Office of the Vice President.

This has generated controversy with many questioning the role and specific duty Mr. Abubakar will be performing at the Office of the Vice President, which some critics say is a part of the Office of the President.

Former Presidential staffer and Builsa South MP, Dr Clement Apaak contended that there is no such thing as Office of the Vice President.

“A serving minister can only be reassigned to the Presidency or Office of the President not Office of the Vice President,” Mr. Apaak indicated, adding, “The Office of the Vice President is a subset of the Office of the President.

“Everyone in the Presidency works for the President. So to announce, “Hon. Boniface Abubakar Saddique, is now Minister of State at the Office of the Vice President doesn’t make sense”, he observed.

But speaking on 3FM’s Sunrise, Mr. Abu Jinapor said Abubakar who is also the MPO for Madina, would be working in the Office of the Vice President to assist him.

“The Vice President’s table is very full and he has a very busy schedule…Mr. Boniface will help the Vice President… I work at the presidency, and I know the sort of work that the Vice President is engaged in,” he stated.“I’m pretty much convinced that Ghanaians will observe that this Vice President is playing a very unique and special role in our government… and literally coordinating the whole of government business under the offices of the economic management team,” he added.

Mr. Jinapor also noted that, the rationale behind the decision to reshuffle ministers boils down to the president’s decision to take stock, and position ministers at places where he knows they can best deliver.

On the issue of the huge number of the Akufo-Addo led government, the Deputy Chief of Staff said the reshuffle will not see any new addition to the number, hence, the number of ministers still remain 110.

He noted that all these ministers are working together to ensure the effective management of the country.