Full cabinet of new government to be ready this week

President John Kufuor will make known the full complement of his cabinet by the end of this week, an aide to the President said on Wednesday. "The list will be completed this week to enable Parliament consider the nominees," said Miss Elizabeth Ohene, Presidential Adviser on Public Affairs.

"As expected, there is serious lobbying on the corridors of power by officials within and outside the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP)," she said. The President has so far made 12 nominations for ministerial appointments but nominations for some key ministries are outstanding.

These are health, education, communications, works and housing, sports, mines and energy, tourism and employment and social welfare. Those already nominated are Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, defence, Mr Yaw Osafo-Marfo, Finance and Dr Kofi Apraku, Trade and Industry. Others are Alhaji Malik Yakubu Alhassan, Interior, Mrs Gladys Asmah, Women Affairs, Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Local Government and Rural Development, Nana Akufo Addo, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Foreign Affairs.

The rest are Major Courage Quarshigah, Food and Agriculture, Mr J. H. Mensah, Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Lands and Forestry and Dr Dominic Fobih, Environment, Science and Technology.