Shake-up in government

Some District Chief Executives (DCEs) and Regional Ministers may return from the New Year holidays to meet the bitter news of their removal from office, the Daily Guide has learnt.

According to inside sources from the corridors of power, President Kufuor would be forced to make some changes in offices of some DCEs whose conduct in office have given the government a bad name.

The paper’s unimpeachable sources said the axe would certainly fall on some DCEs in the Eastern and Central regions, but declined to give a clue as to which of the regional ministers will meet the fury of the President.

However, the Daily Guide have it that at least, two DCEs each from the Eastern and Central regions will be booted out of office for causing avoidable embarrassment not only to the government but to the ruling party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which could affect the fortunes of the party in the next elections.

The districts that may be affected are the Birim North and Akuapem South in the Eastern Region, and Ajumako Enyan-Essiam and Cape Coast in the Central Region. The President will decide whether to retain the DCEs in these districts.

In the case of the Regional Ministers, according to Daily Guide’s search, the axe may fall on those ministers who have exhibited power-drunkenness and dictatorial tendencies and seem to be usurping the authorities of DCES.

According to the source, public opinion and steady analysis of developments in these regions have combined to determine the fate of these government officials in the districts and the regions.

The issue of reshuffle and important changes in official offices has occupied the agenda of the President since the beginning of the year, but the President decided to hold on with the idea in order not to create the impression that the government is not performing.

The President however played down on the issue of reshuffle when he met the press at the Castle in June. When the President was questioned about speculations that there would be a cabinet reshuffle and whether he is considering carrying out his second reshuffle in government, the President said he would discuss the issue of reshuffle in the government and that reshuffling is his own prerogative and that he can exercise that at any point in time.

Meanwhile, information reaching the paper has it that many Ghanaians domiciled in Europe and America are not very happy with the way the President has been too “soft” with some of his ministers who after the hard struggle are trying to throw caution and efficiency to the wind and are engaging in all sorts of unscrupulous behaviour that may further deepen the woes of Ghanaians.

According to one of such Ghanaians living in the United Kingdom, Alex Asabere, the President must be hard on his ministers who have so far shown signs incompetence and also put in place mechanisms to recoup monies stolen by officials of the last government, the National Democratic Congress.