Caretaker Ministers would not take policy decisions - Amissah Arthur

Kwesi Amissah-Arthur

Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah- Arthur on Wednesday explained that the decision of President John Dramani Mahama for Ministers in the last Administration to stay on was to properly superintend Government business until new ministers would be appointed.

He said no new policy decisions were expected to be taken until after a Cabinet would be put in place and inaugurated, adding that “this is to ensure that policies are in consistent with party's (National Democratic Congress) policies.”

In an interaction with journalists at the Flagstaff House in Accra, Vice President Amissah-Arthur said President Mahama still recognized the contributions of those old ministers, as he finalized the appointment of new ones.

Following the inauguration of the 24-member Transitional Team by President Mahama last December, the Vice President who chaired the Team directed Ministers of State to begin preparing their handing over notes in compliance with the provisions of the Presidential (Transitions) Act of 2013, Act 845.

The Team was required to among other things, make comprehensive practical arrangements to regulate the transfer of political administration to the new administration that will be sworn in on January 07, 2013.

However, President Mahama on Tuesday, a day after his inauguration announced some new appointments, but asked “various substantive Ministers, including Regional Ministers, whose tenure of office expired at midnight on the 6th of January 2013, in caretaker positions of the various Ministries and Regions they previously occupied,” to hang on as caretakers until substantive appointments were made.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said despite their handing over notes, Government was being guided by the pledges in the manifesto, and would act in a way that would ensure excellent delivery of the pledges.

The Vice President explained that the inauguration, for which a committee was set up, was time bound. It was also just an aspect of the Transition, the other committees being the Committee for the Presidency, the Committee of Government Machinery.

He said an additional committee chaired by Nana Oye Lithur, was also tasked to ease the work on ex-gratia.

On the performance of the economy, Vice President Amissah-Arthur said despite the discovery of oil, the nation had to look for areas where it would have more comparative advantage.