President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematen
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has read the riot act to his ambitious appointees, serving notice to them to quit his government and focus on their ambitions. He said his appointees who want to succeed him should resign from their positions now and focus on their campaign.
According to him, all presidential aspirants should resign now and pursue their personal interest and allow those who are ready to work to take over and focus on the job.
He threatened to sack any appointee who will defy his order to campaign whilst serving in his government.
Even though the president was short of mentioning names, the order was appears to have directed at Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen who are angling to take over from the President.
Their supporters among other wannabe aspirants have been clandestinely campaigning to woo delegates to their side against previous warnings to stop the political shenanigans.
The order may not affect the vice president since his position is constitutionally protected.
President Akufo-Addo, after Cabinet meeting on Friday followed by a political session, issued the warning according to report by Asaase radio.
Even before the open of polls for presidential primaries, there have been some indications of some of the names who could be vying for the available slot of the flagbearer of the NPP.
He was shocked that some of his appointees have given strongest indications of their personal interest when the 17 NPP candidates who contested for the 2008 presidential slot out of which13 who were in the Government in 2005, were seen to be actively campaigning within the first and second year of John Agyekum Kufuor regime.
The President effectively described the moves as selfish and irresponsible for aspirants to allow their ambition to get in the way of their ministerial job within the first year of a sitting President’s second and final term.
His warning came a day after the Steering Committee of the New Patriotic Party met at the party headquarters to discuss this very matter among other pressing issues as the ruling party is about to embark on a series of elections for party executives from the constituency, through regional to the national level.
The riot act, outlining what is expected of every Minister in the Akufo-Addo administration was read to the Ministers at the Friday meeting by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante.
This was followed by a spirited no-words-mincing warning from the President that he would sack any Minister who defied his orders.
By Vincent Kubi