Mills Denies Reshuffle Claims

President John Evans Atta Mills has dismissed media reports of an imminent ministerial reshuffle.

The Ghanaian Observer newspaper on Wednesday hinted that the President will collapse the office of the presidential spokesperson with Mahama Ayariga, who is currently his spokesperson, moving to the Information Ministry.

Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah, according to the paper was to take over from Mohammed Mumuni as Foreign Minister. But President Mills said those speculations are unfounded and wondered what was the source of the publications.

He told Joy news on Thursday that a reshuffle will be done at his own discretion, he would not be pressured into reshuffling his ministers. Some of the ministers, he admitted, have taken time to get used to their portfolios, but was generally impressed with their performance so far. The president also said a major challenge faced by his government is high expectations of Ghanaians, and expressed optimism that those expectations will be met.

Asked what he made of President Barack Obama of the United States' visit to Ghana last week, President Mills said he believed President Obama came because he saw Ghana to be moving in the right direction, "and as he said, while we should take our own destiny into our own hands, he is prepared to offer us help. I can see doors opening but obviously it is not going to be a one-way street; there are certain conditions that we have to meet and I think that that gives us the impetus, the fillip to be able to move ahead, confident in the fact that we are doing the right things, and also people are watching us and I think that it also serves as an encouragement to the rest of Africa where they think that they are falling short, this should give them an opportunity to correct their mistakes."