In a significant move following a major reshuffle on February 14, President Akufo-Addo has assigned additional responsibilities to some ministers to fill vacancies in various ministries while the substantive ministers await their vetting and approval by Parliament.
The reshuffle has resulted in a reallocation of duties among key government officials.
The latest changes include the assignment of the Railway Minister, John Peter Amewu to oversee the Sanitation and Water Resources Ministry until Lydia Seyram Alhassan is confirmed after the vetting process.
Interior Minister, Henry Quartey will oversee the Greater Accra Region until Nii Kwartei Titus Glover is sworn in as the Greater Accra Regional Minister. The Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, is to manage Information Ministry until his former Deputy, Fatimatu Abubakar, is approved.
Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, is to handle Health Ministry pending the swearing in of Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye as the substantive minister.
Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah is to manage the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry pending the vetting and approval of the substantive minister, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah. Volta Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa has been tasked with the responsibility of managing the Oti Region, while Hawa Koomson, Fisheries Minister, is now accountable for Gender issues.
Additionally, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has taken on the role of overseeing the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation as Ophelia Quansah Hayford awaits her vetting.
The specific roles and duties of the ministers in their additional responsibilities are expected to bring about a more streamlined and effective approach to governance in the respective sectors until the substantive ministers are sworn in.
Further details on the reallocation of duties and the impact of these changes are yet to be revealed.
By Vincent Kubi