Nana Names Ministers

Barring any last minute hitches, the President Elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, would present his list of ministers, deputy Ministers among others to the National Executive Committee of the party today.

Credible information available to The Chronicle indicates that this is not the first time Nana Addo has taken such a decision. The paper understands the list containing members of the Transitional Team from the NPP side who are currently working with the government for a smooth transfer of power were first submitted to the Steering Comm

ittee before the names were made public.

According to sources, the submission of the list to the Executive Committee is a complete departure from the norm. Almost all presidents that have ruled this country since 1992 did their appointments without first submitting the list to the party for vetting.

The president elect has, however, kept the names on the list close to his chest. This reporter has, nevertheless, been told that the ministers would be coming from the following names: Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Kwamena Duncan and Afenyo Markin from the Central Region; Nana Obiri Boahen, Prof Gyan Baffuor, Kwaku Agyeman Manu representing Brong Ahafo Region; Samuel Atta Akyea, Dan Kwaku Botwe, Boakye Agyarko and Nana Akomea from the Eastern Region.

Others are Kofi Dzamasi, Peter John Amewu, Micheal Yaw Gyato and Rashid Bawa representing the Volta bloc; Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Dr AkotoOsei, Dr Afriyie Akoto, K.T. Hammond, Alan Kyerematen and youthful Joseph Asiamah are being considered from the Ashanti Region; Dr Amin Anta, Dominic Nitiwul, Hajia Alima Mahama and Otiko Djaba from the Northern Region; Ambrose Dery and Anthony Abayifa Kaboo representing Upper West Region; Kofi Adda and Boniface Agambila from Upper East; Joe Ghartey, Dr. Owusu Afriyie  and Joseph Boahen Aidoo from Western Region; Gloria Akuffo, Ayikoi Otoo, Naa Torshie and Philip Addison also coming from the Greater Accra region.

The 1992 Constitution mandates the president to appoint members of his cabinet from all the ten regions of Ghana, with majority of them coming from Parliament.

Majority of the names mentioned above, which the president is considering for appointments, are either Members of Parliament or Members of Parliament Elect.

The notable exceptions are Nana Akomea, Dr Owusu Afriyie, Boahen Aidoo, Kwamena Duncan, Asamoah Boateng, Naa Torshie, Ayikoi Otoo, Gloria Akuffo, Boakye Agyarko and Philip Addison.

Specific ministries, which these party stalwarts would be heading, have not been disclosed. But deep throat sources within the party said Nana Akomea, who successfully handled the communications aspect of the NPP campaign may be asked to head the Information Ministry. The five times Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, Mr. K.T. Hammond, may be heading the Energy ministry.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General is a straight fight between Philip Addison and Ayikoi Otoo, who once headed that ministry during Kufuor's regime. Hajia Alima Mahama and Otiko Afisa Djaba would also slug it out for the Gender Ministry.

Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, also known as Napo, who successfully partnered the Minority Leader to articulate the policies of the party in Parliament for the past eight years, is also going to battle with Dr Owusu Afriyie for appointment to the Health Ministry.

Dr. Napo, from our sources, might also be considered for Ministry of Environment and Science.  Either Boakye Agyarko, the former Campaign Manager for Nana Addo or Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei might get the nod to head the Finance Ministry, which would directly be supervised by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumiah.

Ken Ofori Atta, whose name has come up as the possible candidate for the Finance Ministry, The Chronicle gathered, is a remote possibility. From our sources, Ken Ofori Atta's candidature would only become possible if Boakye Agyarko gets the nod as the new Chief of Staff.

With the exception of the positions just mentioned, and good old Professor Mike Ocquaye, who is surely going to be Ghana's next Speaker of Parliament, the credible source could not tell which ministries some of the names on the list would be heading to.

Sources within the top echelons of the party also told The Chronicle that the current Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu would be asked to stay in parliament, but would assume a new role as Majority Leader to prosecute the agenda of the party in the august House.

Most of the senior ministers who served in the Kufuor's government – Hackman Owusu Agyeman, Papa Owusu Ankomah, Osafo Maafo and Dr Addo Kufuor among others, would also be sent to head our foreign missions, with Papa Owusu Ankomah having the chance of joining cabinet, depending on the advice the National Executive Committee would give.

 
 

By Emmanuel Akli