The vetting of Ministers-designate nominated by President Akufo-Addo to form a cabinet in his second term will commence on Wednesday, February 10, by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
Ranking Member of the Committee, Haruna Iddrisu, who disclosed this, said the Minister-designate for Health, Kwaku Agyemang Manu would be vetted first as a matter of priority due to the COVID-19 situation in the country.
He revealed that the Appointments Committee had “met and we are requesting for public memoranda in respect of all the President’s appointees to the various ministerial positions.
“We are expected to commence scrutiny of the President’s ministers on February 10. Priority will be given to some Ministers, particularly Health, because of the COVID situation in the country,” he stressed.
He was contributing to the explanatory memorandum on the business statement for the 5th week ending Friday, February 5, 2021.
Haruna Iddrisu, who is the NDC MP for Tamale South, said the committee would consider the Ministers-designate for National Security and Finance after Health, saying, “Mr. Speaker, our Clerk is working to get the publications to all the media houses.”
President Akufo-Addo, on January 21, 2021, submitted to Parliament through the Speaker a list of 46 persons nominated to fill various ministerial positions, including regional minister portfolios.
Central Government
Among the people appointed to serve as Central Government Ministers are Albert Kan Dapaah, who retained his position as National Security Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta for Finance Minister (retained), Alan K. Kyerematen as Trade and Industry Minister (retained) Dominic Nitiwul as Defence Minister (retained), Ambrose Dery as Interior Minister (retained), and Godfred Yeboah Dame as the Attorney General and Minister for Justice.
The rest are former Deputy Chief of Staff Francis Asenso Boakye, who has been designated as the Works and Housing Minister, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu retained as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, and Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto retained as Food and Agriculture Minister.
Others are Dan Kwaku Botwe for the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh for the Ministry of Energy, Sarah Adjoa Safo for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, for Communications and Digitalisation, and Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has been designated as Education Minister, whilst Kwaku Agyemang Manu has been retained as Minister of Health, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor for Lands and Natural Resources, Kwasi Amoako-Atta has been retained as Roads and Highways Minister, and Kwaku Ofori Asiamah retained as Transport Minister.
Mavis Hawa Koomson is designated as Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Minister, John Peter Amewu as Railway Development Minister designate, while Cecilia Abena Dapaah was maintained at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.
Former Minister for Business Development, Awal Mohammed has been designated as Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Ebenezer Kojo Kum as Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie as the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation, and Ignatius Baffuor Awuah as Minister Designate for Employment and Labour Relations.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah retains his position as Minister of Information, Mustapha Yussif for Minister of Youth and Sports, Joseph Cudjoe for newly created Ministry of Public Enterprises, and Freda Prempeh as Minister of State designate in charge of Works and Housing.
Regional Ministers
Ahafo Region goes to George Boakye, Simon Osei-Mensah was retained as Ashanti Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene takes over from Ama Kumi Richardson as Bono Minister and Adu Gyan replaces Kofi Amoakohene as Bono East Regional Minister.
Justina Marigold Assan will be replacing Kwamena Duncan in the Central Region, and Seth Kwame Acheampong takes over from Eric Kwakye Darffuor in the Eastern Region.
Henry Quartey will replace Ishmael Ashittey in Greater Accra, Shani Alhassan Saibu is taking over from Salifu Saeed in the Northern Region, Yidana Zakaria will replace Solomon Bour in North East while Joseph Makubu is taking over from Kwasi Owusu Yeboa in Oti Region.
Saeed Muhazu Jibril will replace Salifu Adam Braimah in the Savannah Region, Stephen Yakubu takes over from Tangoba Abayage in the Upper East Region while Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih was retained in Upper West.
Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa was retained in the Volta Region, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah retained in Western Region, with Richard Obeng taking over from Aboagye Gyedu in Western North.
“President Akufo-Addo is hopeful that Parliament will see to the prompt approval of his nominees, so they can assist in the delivery of his mandate for his second term in office,” Eugene Arhin, Acting Director of Communications at the Office of the President had said in a statement.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House