Unlike Akufo-Addo, Mahama appoints Finance Minister 48hours in office, shows seriousness to tackle our stupid economy — Coach Opeele

NPP sympathizer and former Asante Kotoko manager, Isaac ‘Opeele’ Boateng, has said President Akufo-Addo’s approach to ministerial appointments in 2017 reflected more interest in travel than in addressing the nation’s economic challenges.

In a social media post on Thursday, January 9, Opeele highlighted a key difference between Akufo-Addo’s and Mahama’s approaches, especially regarding the urgency to tackle Ghana’s economic difficulties.

“Akufo-Addo first appointed because of traveling. We appointed a foreign minister among our first list on January 11th, 2017,” Opeele wrote. “Mahama has appointed a finance minister within 48 hours. It shows he is here to work to fix Ghana’s ‘Stupid Economy,’ not to be traveling and bath in space.”

Opeele’s post follows the recent criticisms directed at President Mahama’s initial ministerial appointments by the NPP parliamentary caucus.

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, voiced his disappointment with the government’s decision to present only three ministerial nominees—Finance Minister Designate, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson; Energy Minister Designate, John Abdulai Jinapor; and Attorney General and Minister of Justice Designate, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine—during his address on Thursday, January 9.

“This tot-tot appointment is unacceptable,” Afenyo-Markin emphasized. “This is a government that promised a 24-hour economy in opposition. They told us that they were ready for government. We expect them to be ready from day one.”

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo’s first set of ministerial appointments, made public on January 10, 2017, included 13 nominees to lead critical ministries.

Notably, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey was appointed Foreign Minister, a choice that Opeele argues was more about foreign affairs than urgent economic reform.