Minister Of State At The Vice President's Office Unconstitutional

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, has described as unconstitutional, the appointment of a Minister-designate for the Office of the Vice President.

A ministerial reshuffle was announced on Thursday, 9th August 2018 in a document signed by the Director of Communications at the presidency, Eugene Arhin.

In the maiden reshuffle , 15 government appointees were reassigned.

Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Member of Parliament for Madina constituency and former Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development was reassigned to the Office of the Vice President;

The Builsa South MP, however, argues that the Office of the Vice President is not a unique entity but exists only because of the president and cannot thus be assigned a Minister.

“I think it is strange that for the first time in history of the fourth republic and for the first time that I can remember , a Minister has been designated to office of the Vice President. I think it must have been an error in communication. The Vice President is not an entity on his own. The presidency is owned by the President so to say that you are appointing a Minister to the office of the Vice President is against the nomenclature.

“Perhaps the director of communications at the office of the President may have gotten that wrong because it does not exist. Unless you want to tell me that the Vice Presidency is a unique entity devoid of the presidency where you can appoint a Minister to serve in office of the President. Anyone serving in the presidency is under the authority of the President and therefore cannot have a Minister assigned to his office.”

Below is the list of Ministers who have been reassigned

1. John Peter Amewu, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and acting Minister for Energy, is now Minister for Energy;

2. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, is now Minister for Lands and Natural Resources;

3. Hon. Kofi Adda, Member of Parliament for Navrongo constituency and former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, is now Minister for Aviation;

4. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, former Minister for Aviation, is now Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources;

5. Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, former Minister for Information, is now Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development;

6. Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofoase/Ayirebi constituency and former Deputy Minister for Information, is now Minister for Information designate;

7. Hon. Cynthia Morrison, Member of Parliament for Agona West constituency, is now Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection designate;

8. Paulina Tangoba Abayage, former Ambassador to Italy, is now Upper East Regional Minister designate;

9. Hon. Evans Opoku Bobie, Member of Parliament for Asunafo North constituency and former deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, is now Brong Ahafo Regional Minister designate;

10. Hon. Martin Oti Gyarko, Member of Parliament for Techiman North constituency, is now Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister designate;

11. Hon. Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Member of Parliament for Madina constituency and former Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, is now Minister of State at the Office of the Vice President;

12. Rockson Bukari, former Upper East Regional Minister, is now Minister of State at the Office of the President;

13. Pius Enam Hadzide, former deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, is now Deputy Minister for Information;

14. Perry Curtis Okudzeto, former deputy Minister for Information, is now Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports;

15. Otiko Afisa Djaba, former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, is now Ambassador-designate to Italy.