Boniface Should Quit Non-Existent Post

In his witty criticism of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s first ministerial reshuffle, the Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini, has singled out the treatment of the former Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development Minister, Boniface Abubakar Saddique, as being discriminatory.

“You sent some Ministers of State to the Office of the President. It is only Boniface who is sent to the Office of the Vice President. That is discrimination and offends article 19 of the Constitution. We are treating him differently,” he said on The Big Issue.

In last week’s reshuffle , Mr. Saddique was made a Minister of State at the Office of the Vice President.

But the contention from Mr. Fuseini and other opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) elements is that Mr. Saddique’s new portfolio is non-existent.

The Tamale Central MP thus arrived at the conclusion that resigning would be better than holding such an office.

“I am saying that if I were Boniface I would resign because there is nothing like that [portfolio].”

The general argument against Mr. Saddique’s new portfolio is that the “Office of the Vice President” is not a unique entity.

“He [Mr. Saddique] should have been a Minister of State at the Office of the President assigned to the Vice President. There is nothing like the office of the Vice President,” Mr. Fuseini explained.

He stressed that “the Vice President has no appointive powers.”

Ultimately, Mr. Fuseini is of the view that the reshuffle was in service of no particular vision .

“It [the reshuffle] lacks any strategic direction. It was just a game of musical chairs. A gap was created by the sacking of Boakye Agyarko and he had to move. Ghanaians have said that the size of government is huge. That some Ministries ought not to be created.

Who else was reassigned or appointed?
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. Rockson Bukari, former Upper East Regional Minister, is now Minister of State at the Office of the President;

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

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

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