Otiko Djaba receiving her instrument of office form President Akufo-Addo On Tueday after the swearing-in ceremony
President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday swore in his second batch of ministers and reminded them of their duties to the people of Ghana.
The ministers swore the Oaths of Allegiance, Office and Secrecy and received their Instruments of Appointment.
They included Dr Anthony Akoto-Osei, Minister in-charge of Monitoring and Evaluation; Dan Kwaku Botwe, Regional Reorganisation and Development; Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Science, Technology and Innovation; John Peter Amewu, Lands and Natural Resources; Otiko Afisa Djaba, Gender, Children and Social Protection and Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Employment and Labour Relations.
The rest were Kwaku Ofori-Asiamah, Transport and Joe Ghartey, Railways Development; Kwasi Amoako-Atta, Roads and Highways; Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Communications; Joseph Kofi Adda, Sanitation and Water Resources and Samuel Atta-Akyea, Works and Housing.
But that was not without a charge, “There is the need for rapid compliance with the requirement of assets declaration.”
The president asked each and every one of them to acquaint themselves with the speech he read when he swore in his first batch of ministers late last month – a copy of which was given to them.
His reason was that “The Ghanaian people in their generosity, have conferred on us, the New Patriotic Party and myself, a huge mandate; they have placed squarely their fates in us to engineer the transformation of their social and economic circumstances that will lead to the progress and prosperity of our nation.”
For that matter, President Akufo-Addo charged, “We have to be up to the responsibility and work together in a spirit of genuine cooperation to realize their hopes; history demands no less from us.”
He was confident that the ministers would succeed in the task each of them has been entrusted with saying, “You are now honourable Ministers of the Ghanaian nation with all its implications; the most important of those implications is the commitment to service.
“You are now high public officials, which means that you are leading members of the Public Service and Public Service means exactly that; it is a calling, a noble one which has to be discharged with honesty, sincerity and humility,” he charged.
The president admonished the ministers to provide leadership that would ensure good governance, public accountability, progress of the nation and improved living standards for Ghanaians.
He underscored, “The Ghanaian people want honest governance, they want a government that will protect the public purse and ensure value for money in all public transactions…We cannot fail them…we must not fail them.”
President Akufo-Addo reminded the ministers that the election that brought the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to power was a clear indication that the people of Ghana, in very emphatic terms, demand a change in the direction of the country.
Thus, it is mandatory that each and every individual appointed to serve in his government contributes to changes in the quality of governance, the management of the economy and attitude.
“We are required to fulfil the commitments of our mandate and I’m certain that with God’s guidance, sincerity of purpose, integrity of character, hard work and genuine collaboration, together we shall deliver and honour these commitments,” Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo indicated.
President Akufo-Addo also asked the ministers to comply with the law and declare their assets because the NPP attaches great importance to the fight against corruption saying, “You must be in the forefront of the fight against corruption.
“I believe strongly honorable ministers, that in you and the rest of the team being assembled, we have the men and women that can quickly turn around the fortunes of our country and put her on the road to progress and prosperity. The Ghanaian people have placed their hopes for a better life on us…I am looking forward eagerly to working with you so that we can together realize their hopes.”
Dr Anthony Akoto-Osei, on behalf of his colleague ministers, thanked the president and the people of Ghana for the honour done them and promised to live up to expectation.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Flagstaff House