Mahama’s Impending Reshuffle

The President Of Ghana

The New Statesman has picked up information from the presidency indicating that President John Dramani Mahama is set to announce some changes in his government in the coming weeks.

The impending reshuffle is expected to sweep through the seat of government to the ministries, hitting some state institutions and ending up with appointments of some key loyalists for ambassadorial positions.

An initial plan by President Mahama to send Ras Mubarak to Nigeria as High Commissioner has been put down, following strong criticisms on social media that he is ‘too young’, and perhaps not seasoned enough, to handle a very difficult portfolio as high commissioner.

Unconfirmed reports indicate Mr Mubarak would be going to the Ministry of Information and Media Relations in the next reshuffle, expected in February 2014. But the New Statesman can state authoritatively that he would be heading the National Youth Authority in the coming weeks.

Dr Stephen Opuni, Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority, who has been accused of high-handedness in his dealings with players in the pharmaceutical industry, has been pencilled for the Chief Executive position at the COCOBOD, amid stiff resistance, while former Adentan Member of Parliament, Kwadwo Adu Asare, would be heading the National Service Scheme.

Among those going out of the Mahama government is Tonny Aidoo, the man who was appointed Head of Monitoring and Evaluation at the presidency by the late President John Evans Atta Mills. He recently complained that since the demise of the president who appointed him, his office had been rendered non-functional, with no money to carry out his mandate.

Aware that he has been virtually booted out of the Mahama government, Dr Aidoo is said to have entered into an agreement with Joy FM to partner Dr Wereko-Brobby on the ‘Super Morning Show’ with Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

The New Statesman can report that since the appointment of Dr Sule Gariba as Senior Policy Co-ordinator at the presidency at the early stages of the Mahama administration, Dr Tony Aidoo has remained redundant, though he continues to draw salary from the national kitty.

Also to be affected is the office of the National Security Advisor. An initial plan by President Mahama to send the embattled Brigadier-General Nunoo Mensah to the newly-created office of Presidential Advisor oh Human Security is said to have been put on hold, following the wide-spread condemnation he has received from many groups and individuals over his request to agitating workers to leave the country if they were not prepared to sacrifice.

The National Security Co-ordinator, Lt. Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, is also set to be replaced, as he prepares to take up an ambassadorial responsibility, just as the position of Inspector General of Police will be occupied by a new person.

Source: The New Statesman