Four ministerial positions that have become vacant in Akufo-Addo’s government

The recent resignations of some ministers in the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government has left a void that needs to be filled albeit with the presence of caretaker ministers for the affected roles.

GhanaWeb takes a look at a number of ministerial positions that have become vacant largely due to the resignation of appointees and or other reasons.

Minister of State at the Finance Ministry

The Minister of State at the Finance Ministry was one of many ministerial portfolios created in President Akufo-Addo’s government.

The position until November 14, 2022, was occupied by Charles Adu Boahen.

The Presidency in a statement issued in November 2022 announced the termination of Mr Adu Boahen’s appointment by the president.

“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has terminated the appointment of the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Charles Adu Boahen, with immediate effect,” the statement read.

Providing reasons for the dismissal, the president said that it was based on the knowledge that allegations of corruption had been levelled against the minister.

The allegations, the statement added, were in line with an undercover investigative piece by journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

“After being made aware of the allegations levelled against the Minister in the exposé, ‘Galamsey Economy’, the President spoke to Mr. Adu Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment, and also to refer the matter to the Special Prosecutor for further investigations,” the presidency said.

The video by Anas implicated the minister who was captured on tape making various indicting statements to some supposed potential investors.

The minister was further captured on the tape receiving an undisclosed amount and also negotiated some bribery payments.



Trade and Industry Ministry

Akufo-Addo on January 6, 2023, accepted a resignation letter tendered in by the Minister for Trade and Industry John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen.

The statement by the presidency noted that Alan Kyerematen personally informed the President of his decision to resign from his position as Trade Minister.

In view of this, President Akufo-Addo directed Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta to take over as caretaker Minister of Trade and Industry until a substantive minister is appointed.

A subsequent communique by the presidency announced the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources as the caretaker of the trade ministry.

Mr Kyerematen following his resignation announced via a national broadcast his bid for the flagbearer position of the New Patriotic Party.

Mr Kyerematen thus resigned from the government to begin his campaign for the flagbearership.



Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Another flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto resigned from the government of President Akufo-Addo in January.

The resignation of the then Minister for Food and Agriculture according to a statement by the presidency was done via a letter presented to the president on January 10, 2023.

A statement issued by the Communications Director at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, said President Akufo-Addo thanked Dr Akoto for service to the government and the nation and wished him well in his future endeavors.

The statement said the President had tasked the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson to act as caretaker Minister at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture until a substantive appointment was made.

Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs

The most recent of ministerial resignations in the Akufo-Addo government is the resignation of the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ebenezer Kojo Kum.

This was announced in a February 3, 2023 statement from the Presidency with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo accepting his resignation.

"President Akufo-Addo thanked him for his services to the government and to the country, and wished him well in his future endeavours," the statement read in part.

He is to be replaced by Dan Kweku Botwe, the Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development Minister on a caretaker basis "until a substantive replacement is made," the statement added.

Appointment of substantive ministers

With recent reports indicating a planned reshuffle in his government, it is expected that the president will soon announce substantive appointees for the vacant ministerial positions.

Meanwhile, some critics believe the impending reshuffle presents an opportunity for the president to cut down on the size of his government by scrapping some ministries and merging others.



GA/SARA