Akufo-Addo scraps Deputy Regional Minister positions
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will not appoint Deputy Regional Ministers in his second term of office, a statement from the Presidency has announced.
He has also realigned seven Ministries – Aviation, Business Development, Inner City and Zongo Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, Planning, Regional Re-organisation and Development, and Special Development Initiatives and abolished the Senior Minister position that was occupied by Yaw Osafo Maafo.
The statement explained that “the President has effected this realignment because virtually all these special-purpose Ministries have achieved the purposes for which they were established.”
“In all, President Akufo-Addo will appoint a total of 30 Ministers, and 16 Regional Ministers, bringing the total number of Ministers to 46,” it added.
The President’s list of proposed Ministers and Regional Ministers for his new government will be submitted to Parliament today, January 21, 2021, for processes of approval to begin.
“In all, President Akufo-Addo will appoint a total of 30 Ministers, and 16 Regional Ministers, bringing the total number of Ministers to 46.”
“Eight of this number are women – six Ministers and two Regional Ministers. This is the list that will be submitted to Parliament by the President on Thursday,” the statement said.
The list of deputy ministers will be sent to Parliament “at an appropriate date.”
A new Minister for Energy is to be appointed, who will be assisted by deputy ministers, one of whom will be an indigene of the Western Region.
The statement also indicated that the President intends to appoint a Minister for Public Enterprises, who will be “operating directly under the ambit of the Presidency, and not from a Ministry.”
“The Minister will oversee a major restructuring of the entire state-owned enterprises’ sector to improve the productivity and profitability of the sector.”
The President’s representative at the Information Ministry, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah had earlier given indications President Akufo-Addo’s record government size will reduce when he constitutes his new administration.
