Joyce Bawah Mogtari to be nominated as Minister of Foreign Affairs - Report

Barring any last-minute changes, MyNewsGh.com has exclusively obtained details of possible cabinet appointments by President John Dramani Mahama following the release of the first batch of appointments.

In the initial batch, President Mahama nominated Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as Finance Minister-designate, John Abdulai Jinapor as Energy Minister-designate, and Dominic Akuritinga Ayine as Attorney General-designate.

This portal has learned that the outstanding list includes the highly influential former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who is expected to head the Ministry of Defence. He reportedly beat close competition from Prof. Joshua Alabi, who was also said to have been interested in the position.

President Mahama is also set to return Nana Oye Bampoe-Addo to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, while Dr. Victor Bampoe, a former Deputy Minister of Health, may be elevated to Minister of Health, barring any last-minute changes.

Similarly, the popular and charismatic MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is expected to be elevated from his role as Deputy Minister of Education in the last Mahama administration to a full ministerial position.

Although reports suggest he had a strong interest in the Foreign Affairs portfolio, his nomination as Education Minister is being supported by arguments citing his anti-corruption credentials, particularly in addressing suspected corruption in the School Feeding Program, internet services for secondary schools, and food procurement under the Free SHS program.

President Mahama reportedly has strong trust in the four-term MP's ability to bring stability and reform to the education sector.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is expected to go to Joyce Bawah Mogtari, a lawyer with over 24 years of experience at the Ghana Bar.

She previously served as Deputy Minister of Transport during Mahama’s first term and is currently a special aide to the president.

Her close relationship with Mahama, similar to Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey’s role under Akufo-Addo, has earned her the president’s trust for this critical position.

Sources close to the party and the Office of the President have also revealed that Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, a former Minister of Communications and trusted ally of Mahama, has been penciled in for the crucial role of Minister for Local Government and Rural Development.

This position is considered key to the 2028 elections, given Dr. Boamah’s significant contribution to Mahama’s victory in the 2024 election. Known for his expertise in governance and grassroots engagement, Dr. Boamah is well-suited to drive Mahama’s decentralization agenda.

For the agricultural sector, a cornerstone of Ghana’s economy, President Mahama is said to have settled on Eric Opoku, a former Minister for the Brong Ahafo Region. Over the past eight years, Opoku has served as the parliamentary Ranking Member on the Food and Agriculture Committee.

MyNewsGh.com has also intercepted a preliminary list of persons being considered for deputy ministerial roles and regional ministerial appointments across the 16 regions. However, this list remains inconclusive as consultations and vetting processes are still ongoing.

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