Minister has been acting for too long – Residents

A survey conducted by DAILY GUIDE in Bolgatanga from Saturday, June 15 to Wednesday, June 19, 2013 indicates that residents are not happy with the status of Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru, the acting Upper East Regional Minister.

Residents told DAILY GUIDE that Alhaji Limuna Muniru has been the acting regional minister for a long period of time and must be confirmed or changed by the appointing authorities.

Alhaji Muniru, who has been the acting Upper East Regional Minister since March 2013, took over from Dr. Ephraim Avea Nsoh, who is now the substantive regional minister for the Upper West region.

“The Upper East region deserves a substantive regional minister so that he can take definite positions on issues. All other regions have their substantive ministers, and we also need a substantive regional minister. We don’t know if he will stay in the office or not and so you can’t take any long-term decisions with him in mind,” a senior National Democratic Congress (NDC) member noted.

Some NDC functionaries expressed dissatisfaction with the situation.

Critics argued that the president took that action to resolve a problem in the appointment of the substantive Northern Regional Minister.

In March 2013 when regional ministers were reshuffled, government said the exercise was meant to ensure regional cohesion.

Some elderly residents told DAILY GUIDE that: “the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister has been vetted and confirmed and the minister himself is still acting. If there is an issue that cannot be solved to qualify him for parliamentary vetting, then the president should do the right thing and nominate another person for a substantive position. Our opponents are just laughing and saying our government is not serious,” one of the elders said.