President Akufo-Addo in a group picture with the deputy ministers after the swearing in
PRESIDENT AKUFO-Addo on Friday swore in forty (40) new deputy ministers to serve in the second term of his administration.
They included the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu-Bohene; Abena Osei-Asare and John Ampontuah Kumah for Finance; Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, Michael Okyere Baafi and Herbert Krapa for Trade and Industry; as well as Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, William Owuraku Aidoo, and Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer for the Energy Ministry.
Augustine Collins Ntim, Osei Bonsu Amoah, and Martin Kwaku Adjei-Mensah Korsah go to Local Government, Decentralization & Rural Development; whilst Thomas Mbomba and Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong head to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Also on the bill were Alfred Tuah-Yeboah and Diana Asonaba Dapaah for the Office of Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice while Yaw Frimpong Addo and Mohammed Hardi Tufeiru go to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Reverend John Ntim Fordjour and Gifty Twum-Ampofo will be at the Ministry of Education.
Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah and Alhaji Mahama Asei Seini go to the Ministry of Health with Benito Owusu-Bio and George Mireku Duker joining the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. Mavis Nkansah-Boadu and Stephen Pambiin Jalulah also head for the Ministry for Roads and Highways.
Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana and Frederick Obeng Adom are billed for the Ministry of Transport whilst Kofi Amankwah-Manu and Naana Eyiah go to the Defense and Interior Ministries respectively with Ama Pomaa Boateng joining the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization.
To the Works and Housing Ministry goes Abdulai Abanga whilst Moses Anim has been assigned to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Ministry with Kwaku Asante-Boateng works at the Ministry of Railway Development.
The rest are Amidu Issahaku Chinnia – Sanitation and Water Resources; Mark Okraku-Mantey – Tourism, Arts and Culture; Lariba Zuweira Abudu – Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry; Bright Wireko-Brobbey – Employment and Labour Relations Ministry; Fatimatu Abubakar – Information and Evans Opoku Bobie – Youth and Sports.
That, was however not without a charge for them to justify their inclusion in the government with good performance.
Addressing the newly sworn in Deputy Ministers at the Jubilee House Friday evening after administering the Oaths of Office, Allegiance and Secrecy, President Akufo-Addo said the Deputy Ministers had to justify their selection because there were many of their peers in Parliament who had not been selected even though they had similar claims of competence.
“We have launched the GH¢100 billion Ghana Cares Obaatanpa project to respond to it (the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic), to revitalize and develop our economy,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“Your success in this endeavour will be a consequence of three things – first, it is the spirit of loyalty you exhibit to your Ministers. Article 79, clause 1 of the Constitution of the Republic provides that a Deputy Minister is appointed by the President in consultation with the Minister and with the prior approval of Parliament to assist the Minister in the performance of his or her functions,” he emphasised.
He therefore told them “Your basic responsibility is thus to assist your Minister in the performance of his or her functions.”
That, he said, was because “loyalty to the Minister is a fundamental premise for the success of your work”, with a warning “I will not countenance any acts of disloyalty or subversion of your Minister, for I will take such acts as disloyalty to me personally and by inference, disloyalty to the state and party.”
“You have to remember at all times, the solemn commitment we, in the NPP, have made collectively and individually, jointly and severally, to serve the Ghanaian people honestly and competently. We are called to these public appointments to provide public service, not to promote our person gains,” President Akufo-Addo said.
On behalf of her colleagues, the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, in acceptance, assured the President they would engage, consult and collaborate with all stakeholders to assist their Ministers to deliver the mandate bestowed on the respective ministries.
“We are privileged and grateful to be given these valuable opportunities to serve the country in this capacity, and we will give it our utmost best to justify these appointments”, she said.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent