President Akufo-Addo in a photograph with the Ministers and Deputy Ministers after the ceremony
President Akufo-Addo has urged his appointees to remain focused on the goals they have set for themselves and the country.
Two years into his term, he believes his administration has made a significant mark.
This was when he swore-in four ministers and two deputy ministers following their approval by Parliament at the Jubilee House yesterday.
They included Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Minister of Information, Evans Opoku Bobie, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Cynthia Morrison, the Minister for Gender and Social Protection, Paulina Abayage, Upper East Regional Minister and Samuel Nuetey Ayertey and Martin Oti Gyarko Deputy Eastern and Brong-Ahafo Regional Ministers respectively.
In a brief remark after administering the oaths of office, secrecy and allegiance, the President indicated that considering the fact that they have now become publicly exposed persons “all kind of things are going to be said and attributed to you.”
That notwithstanding, he said “keep focused; don’t get yourself distracted. There are a lot of people out there who will like you to get distracted; keep your eye on the ball.”
Ministers and Deputy Ministers taking the oath of secrecy at the Jubilee House in Accra
“But as the appointing authority, I know each one of you and I know your quality; that’s why I’ve asked you to come and join me, so that we can give this country a really strong and effective government.”
That, he said, was because “we have many things to do in Ghana; we inherited a big mess but systematically we are trying to clean it up and by and large we are succeeding.”
“Already the economic indicators that we inherited have all been turned around; they are now pointing in the right direction.”
Even though they are joining the government midway through its term of office, President Akufo-Addo made them aware that that alone imposes a new role on them.
He urged them to fit into the government and cooperate with each other to deliver the mandate entrusted to their care by the people of Ghana.
“You are not in competition with each other or anybody, you are all to work together so that we can deliver the things that we told the Ghanaian people that got them to give us their confidence and trust; we’ve delivered some but there are still others to go.”
“If we all continue to work hard and keep our eyes on the ball, I’m very confident that when the four years are over, we will be able to give a good account of ourselves to the people of Ghana,” he said to the applause of those who had gathered.
On his part, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, who spoke on behalf of his colleague ministers, promised that they would work with diligence and decorum to assist in delivering the mandate, saying the “the vision that animates you also inspires us and we will continue to work with that same diligence and decorum, and Mr President, just like you don’t rest, we will also not rest.”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent