President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has submitted to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, names of 40 people for appointment as Minister of State and Deputy Ministers in his new government, for approval by the House.
Many NPP stalwarts, who are looking for deputy ministerial appointments, had been sitting on tenterhooks since the President first released the list of his substantive ministers in February, and it came as a big relief for those lucky ones whose names were captured in the list.
Former Deputy Minister of Finance, Charles Adu-Boahen, has been elevated to the position of Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, with John Ampontuah Kumah, NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Ejisu, taking his place.
Mr. Kumah will join his colleague MP for Atiwa East, Abena Osei-Asare, who has been retained, to support Ken Ofori-Atta at the Ministry of Finance.
The Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, will have three deputies in the persons of Michael Okyere Baafi, NPP MP for New Juaben South and immediate past boss of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, Herbert Krapah, who was the spokesperson for the President while he was the opposition leader, as well as Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei, who was one of the deputies at the Ministry of Information in the first term of Akufo-Addo’s administration.
Dr. Mohammed Amin Anta, MP for Karaga as well as William Owuraku Aidoo, MP for Afigya-Kwabre South have been retained as Deputy Ministers of Energy and the President has also included NPP MP for Sekondi, Andrew Egyapa Mercer to assist Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh at the Energy Ministry.
Osei Bonsu (OB) Amoah, MP for Akwapim South and Collins Ntim, MP for Offinso North, have been retained as Deputy Ministers for Local Government and Rural Development, and they will be joined by Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, MP for Techiman South, to assist Dan Kwaku Botwe.
Thomas Mbomba, MP for Tatale/Sanguli and Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, MP for Mampong will deputise Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Diana Asonaba Dapaah, Vice President of the Ghana Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Hub and Alfred Tuah-Deborah, who is the President of the Bono Regional Branch of the Ghana Bar Association and a leading member of the NPP in the region, have been nominated to become Deputy Attorney General & Ministers for Justice, to assist young and enterprising AG, Godfred Yeboah Dame.
Yaw Frimpong Addo, MP for Manso Dubia, and Mohammed Hardi Tuferu, MP for Nanton, have been nominated to go to the Food and Agriculture Ministry to assist Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto whilst Moses Anim, NPP MP for Trobu will deputise Mavis Hawa Koomson at the Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministry.
The Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, will be assisted by John Ntim Fordjour, MP for Assin South, and GiftyTwum-Ampofo, MP for Abuakwa North. Gifty was Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection in the first administration of President Akufo-Addo.
Tina Gifty Mensah, MP for Weija-Gbawe and Mahama Asei Seini, MP for Daboya/Mankarigu will assist Kwaku Agyeman-Manu at the Health Ministry, whilst Stephen Jalulah, MP for Pru West, and Mavis Nkansah Boadu, MP for Afigya-Sekyere East, will both deputise Kwasi Amako-Atta at the Ministry for Roads and Highways.
The President has also retained Benito Owusu Bio, MP for Atwima Nwabiagya North, and has also joined George Mireku Duker, MP for Tarkwa Nsuaem to deputise Samuael Abu Jinapor at the Ministry of Lands and Forestry.
Hassan Tampuli, MP for Gushegu and Frederick Obeng Adom, MP for Upper West Akim, will assist Kwaku Ofori Asiamah at the Transport Ministry, whilst Kofi Amankwah-Manu, MP for Atwima Kwanwoma will deputise Dominic Nitiwul at the Defence Ministry.
The President nominated Nana Eyiah Quansah, MP for Gomoa Central, to assist Ambrose Dery at the Ministry of Interior, while Ama Pomaa Boateng, MP for Juaben, will assist Ursula Owusu-Ekuful at the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation.
The Works and Housing Minister, Francis Asenso Boakye will have Abdulai Abanga, MP for Binduri, as his deputy, and Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah will be assisted by Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, MP for Sissala East.
Kwaku Asante-Boateng, MP for Asante Akim South, will assist John Peter Amewu at the Ministry of Railway Development, whilst Mark Okraku Mantey, a pioneer in the music industry, will assist Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Former Ahafo Regional Minister, Evans Opoku Bobie, who is the MP for Asunafo North, has been nominated as the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports to support Mustapha Yussif.
Fati Abubakar, a Deputy Communications Director at the Presidency, has been moved to assist Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at the Ministry of Information, whilst Bright Wireko-Brobbey, MP for Heman Lower Denkyira, has also been retained as Deputy Employment and Labour Relations Minister to support Ignatius Baffuor Awuah.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu & Charles Takyi-Boadu