Abraham Koomson calls for transparency in Mahama's ministerial reshuffles

Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has called for reforms in the way presidents reshuffle ministers, arguing that the practice of reassigning appointees without prior explanation can damage their reputation and weaken institutional stability.

Speaking to Modern Ghana News in Tema at the weekend, the veteran labour leader and industrial relations practitioner acknowledged that Article 78 of the 1992 Constitution gives the President the authority to appoint, reassign and dismiss ministers.

However, he said the manner in which that authority is exercised could determine whether a reshuffle strengthens or undermines public confidence in an administration.

Mr Koomson said Ghana had, since the era of the late President Dr Kwame Nkrumah, developed a practice where ministers sometimes learn of their reassignment through the media rather than being informed beforehand.

“Reshuffles since the late President Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s time have been carried out without prior notification to the affected ministers or appointees. This approach is troubling because of the insecurity of tenure for appointees,” he stated.

According to him, unexplained reshuffles are often interpreted by the public and political opponents as evidence of poor performance, loss of presidential confidence or punishment.

He said such perceptions could embarrass affected ministers, trigger factional speculation within governing parties and undermine collective responsibility within government.

His comments come in the wake of President John Dramani Mahama’s two-phase ministerial reshuffle in August, which resulted in significant changes to his administration.

On August 7, 2026, President Mahama announced the reassignment of Kenneth Gilbert Adjei from the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to the Ministry of Defence, a position that had remained vacant following the death of former Defence Minister Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah in the August 6, 2025 helicopter crash.

Ahmed Ibrahim was moved from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to the Works, Housing and Water Resources portfolio.

The President also nominated Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, while Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga was nominated to head the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.

In a second reshuffle announced on August 26, Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo was moved from the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment to the Ministry of State in charge of Special Initiatives, while Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum was reassigned to take charge of the Labour Ministry.

Labour ministry
Mr Koomson said the sensitivity of the Labour Ministry made continuity and effective communication particularly important.

He commended Dr Pelpuo for his tenure, crediting him with helping to maintain relative calm on the labour front.

According to him, organised labour did not embark on any collective or national demonstration during Dr Pelpuo’s tenure, which he attributed to effective dialogue and political maturity.

While expressing concern about Dr Pelpuo’s reassignment, Mr Koomson acknowledged that the President acted within his constitutional authority.

He wished Dr Pelpuo well in his new role and congratulated Mr Agyekum on his appointment to the Labour Ministry.

He also congratulated Ahmed Ibrahim on his new assignment at the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources and expressed the hope that ongoing projects would be sustained.

Mr Koomson disclosed that organised labour was preparing to engage Mr Agyekum on two major issues in the coming weeks: negotiations on base pay under the Single Spine Salary Structure and the determination of the national daily minimum wage.

He described the negotiations as politically and economically sensitive and said they would require mutual trust, goodwill and continuity.

He argued that properly briefing incoming ministers and providing outgoing ministers with dignified explanations would help preserve institutional memory and ensure smoother transitions, particularly in sensitive areas such as wage negotiations.

Call for institutionalised protocol
Beyond the immediate reshuffle, Mr Koomson said greater transparency could also strengthen the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) as it pursues its resetting agenda.

He argued that privately informing appointees about the reasons for changes in their portfolios would reassure them, sustain their commitment to the party and reduce speculation among supporters.

“As a labour union and industrial relations practitioner, I am of the view that appointees need to be made aware of the reasons for changes in their portfolios to put them at ease and maintain loyalty to the political party,” he stressed.

Mr Koomson maintained that greater transparency would not diminish presidential authority but could instead reinforce it by demonstrating that decisions were based on strategic considerations and the national interest.

He further argued that a more transparent approach would contribute to Ghana’s democratic development by enabling citizens to better understand government decisions rather than relying on rumours and speculation.

While commending President Mahama for undertaking broad consultations before making appointments, Mr Koomson urged the Presidency to establish a formal protocol requiring affected ministers and appointees to be privately informed and, where appropriate, given reasons for their reassignment before public announcements are made.

He said such an approach would reduce unnecessary speculation, protect the reputation of dedicated public officials, improve morale within the executive and promote greater stability across state institutions.

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