President Akufo-Addo is poised to announce his inaugural significant ministerial reshuffle today, Wednesday, February 14.
This marks the first major overhaul since assuming office in January 2017.
Sources within the Jubilee House, the government’s administrative headquarters, have disclosed this information to JoyNews.
Reports indicate considerable activity on the fourth floor of Jubilee House, where ministers potentially impacted by the reshuffle have been seen, along with other MPs anticipated to benefit from the impending changes.
Approximately 12 current ministers of state, including 10 cabinet ministers and two regional ministers, are likely to be affected by the reshuffle. Notably, several prominent government figures are expected to either lose their positions entirely or undergo significant reassignments.
On Tuesday, February 13, President Akufo-Addo held extensive discussions with ministers and deputy ministers who could be affected, as well as those joining or leaving his administration in the imminent reshuffle.
The Valentine’s Day announcement, expected at 11am, is a major, long-awaited reshuffle that will see some key government members, among them some who have held their posts for the past seven years, exit cabinet altogether, while others assume new roles.
Sources within government tell Myjoyonline.com that calls have since Tuesday night been going through to nominees and casualties to ensure a smooth exercise.
However, the sources speak of a very challenging exercise, as several nominees have been hesitant to accept their new roles, unsure how much of the enormous expectations they can deliver within the limited time left before the tenure of the administration expires.
Below are names and movements confirmed by our sources.
Exiting Government
- Ken Ofori-Atta – Finance Minister
- Freda Prempeh – Sanitation and Water Resources Minister
- Dr. Mohammed Awa – Tourism Minister
- Ambrose Dery – The Interior Minister
- Dr Kwaku Afriyie – Environment Science, Technology and Innovation
- Kwasi Amoako-Attah – Roads and Highways Minister
- Kwaku Agyeman Manu – Health Minister
- Dan Kwaku Botwe – Local Government
- Zuweira Lariba – Gender Minister
New Nominations
- Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover – Greater Accra Region
- Henry Quartey – The Interior
- Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam – Finance
- Lydia Alhassan – Sanitation and Water Resources
- Andrew Agyepa Mercer – Minister of Tourism
- Ophelia Hayford Mensah – Environment Science, Technology and Innovation
- Ms Fatimatu Abubakar – Information
- Kojo Oppong Nkrumah – Works and Housing
- Francis Asenso Boakye – Roads and Highways
- Dr Bernard Okoe Boye – Health
- Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah – Local Government
- Darkoa Newman – Gender
The last government restructuring occurred a month earlier, after the resignations of former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen and Agriculture Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who stepped down to focus on their political campaigns.
Insiders reveal that the forthcoming reshuffle is anticipated to be far-reaching and was strategically postponed to coincide with the conclusion of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential and parliamentary primaries.
The primaries, held on January 27, aimed to shield ministers from potential electoral setbacks while transitioning to new roles, mitigating additional emotional strain.
Originally slated for December, the reshuffle was rescheduled to February post the governing party’s internal elections to preempt unsuccessful candidates from attributing their loss to the president.
Last week, 24 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) were relieved of their duties, with 26 replacements appointed, as part of efforts to reinvigorate local governance.