The much anticipated ministerial reshuffle appears to be in the offing following the exit of two cabinet ministers from the Akufo-Addo government.
Two top ministers in the current administration, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Trade and Industry Minister and Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Food and Agriculture Minister have resigned to pursue to their presidential ambitions of succeeding President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is serving his second and last term as president and leader of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
While Alan is said to have voluntarily resigned effective January 16, 2023, the Agric Minister was said to have been asked to submit his resignation letter to pave the way for a new hand.
According to Jubilee House sources, Dr. Afriyie Akoto was summoned to the Presidency last Friday wearing a long face, where he was told to quit the government. He then reluctantly submitted his resignation letter on Tuesday. The Presidency is yet to issue an acceptance letter.
With the exit of the two presidential wannabes, the stage is now set to inject new blood into the administration to assuage critics who have been calling for reshuffle by replacing non-performing ministers, some of them engaging in conflict of interest and alleged corrupt deals.
Even though President Akufo-Addo had on several platforms justified the inclusion of his ministerial team, the exit of the two ministers has made it inevitable to shake-up the team with the inclusion of new members, moving some to other ministries as well as a possible merging of others.
It’s still hazy if Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance who claims he is undertaking a sacrificial job by not receiving salary and other perks of his office will be allowed to exit from the government having succeeded in presenting the 2023 budget statement and approval of same by Parliament as well as the conclusion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) engagements for the financial bailout as promised by President Akufo-Addo to the ‘Rebel MPs’ in the Majority group.
Unconfirmed sources say former General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu may make his way to join the government, just as the MP for Abetifi and former Minister of State for National Security, Bryan Acheampong, who have been tipped for the Agric and Transport Ministries as well as National Security.
The Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh may be moved to the vacant Trade Ministry to replace Alan Kyerematen, while Lawyer K.T. Hammond may be finally making his way to the Energy Ministry.
Mr. Hammond, MP for Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti Region, was said to have been tipped for the Energy Ministry at the inception of the Akufo-Addo administration but lost out to Boakye Agyarko, who was later fired and replaced with John Peter Amewu, MP for Hohoe.
K.T. Hammond was later offered Chairman of Ghana Gas but turned it down. He may breathe fresh air into the Energy Ministry having served as Deputy Minister of Energy under the Kufuor administration.
The Water and Sanitation Ministry may be collapsed, with Sanitation going to Local Government and Water Resources going back to Works and Housing.
Some other ministries may also be scrapped and the staff reassigned to affiliated ministries to cut down the size of government.
BY Fortune Kwame Alimi