Akandoh's heavy workload demands urgent deputy appointment - Minority

The Minority in Parliament has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to urgently appoint a Deputy Minister for Health to assist the substantive minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who they say is overwhelmed by the enormous workload.

The call was made by Minority Chief Whip Frank Annor-Dompreh on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, following a briefing by the health minister on the resurgence of COVID-19 cases at the University of Ghana campus.

In a lighthearted yet pointed remark, Annor-Dompreh noted that the minister’s hair is turning grey as a visible sign of the pressure he is under, stressing that appointing a deputy would help ease the burden.

“The minister has no deputy. His Excellency the President should be reminded of the four outstanding deputy appointments. Akandoh has no deputy. His hair is getting grey. The man is suffering. One moment he is in Bolga; the next moment he is here. He needs a deputy. It will help him,” Annor-Dompreh stated, drawing laughter from the chamber.

The Nsawam-Adoagyiri Member of Parliament also emphasized the need for increased financial support for the Health Ministry, especially in light of the renewed threat posed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Additionally, he appealed to the Speaker of Parliament to direct the Health Minister to provide regular updates—at least every two weeks—to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health to keep lawmakers informed on government efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

The plea from the Minority underscores growing concerns about the strain on the Health Ministry amid rising public health challenges and the need for stronger institutional support to ensure effective response.