Mahama’s Ambassadors stranded in Accra

Over three weeks since President John Dramani Mahama nominated ten leading functionaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as ambassadors awaiting their respective countries of postings; reports are that the envoys are stranded in Accra without knowing exactly what their newly-assigned roles entails.

Reports reaching The Al-Hajj suggest that, though almost all the nominees, who were either former ministers or appointees of the late President Mills, were initially happy with their re-engagement, they are gradually folding back as they have just been left with a ‘blank’ appointment with nobody telling them what has become of their fate.

Information gathered by this paper revealed that except the one-on-one engagement prior to their appointments and the media announcement; all the ten ambassadors designate have been left in a balance with none of them knowing the exact country he/she has been penciled for.

More worrying of their plight is that the orientation seminars normally organized for ambassador designates to prepare them for their posts are not being done, and this is causing consternation among the new envoys.

President John Mahama on Monday, November 25, appointed ten persons as ambassador designates pending their accreditation.

They included former Head of Policy Monitoring and Evaluation at the Presidency, Dr. Tony Aidoo; Former Information Minister, John A. Tia; Former Eastern Regional Minister, Emmanuel Victor Smith

The others are Former Minister of Youth & Sports, Madam Akua Dansua; former Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Zita Okaikoi and Former Acting CEO of the NPRA, Sam Pee Yalley. The rest includes Former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Former Upper West Regional Minister, Mahmoud Khalid and former Secretary to Cabinet, Ben C. Egha

This appointment was hailed by many, particularly supporters of the National Democratic Congress, as an attempt by President Mahama to rope in more experience hands to help in delivering on the party’s manifesto promises and also to bridge government-party relations.

But the sudden ‘neglect’ of the nominees is gradually building up tension among the nominees, which is likely to cascade down to the grass-root supporters of the party and further deepen the resentment and attrition in the party.

The former Head of Policy Monitoring and Evaluation at the Presidency, Dr. Anthony Aidoo is the only one among the ten nominated envoys reported to be undecided as to his new appointment as he is said to have landed mouth-watering offers from reputable international and local organizations and institutions.

Though he is said to be not enthused leaving the shores of Ghana now, he is at the same time said to be in limbo as rejecting the President’s offer could be regarded as being disrespectful to the first citizen of the land.