Tourism Minister axed as President rings 9 changes

President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced nine changes in his government, the second reshuffle since he was sworn into office in 2017.

The biggest change is the removal of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Minister Catherine Afeku, who now moves to the Office of the President as a Minister of State. She will now work specifically at the Office of the Senior Minister which is within the presidency.

MP for Huni-Valley, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, replaces the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira MP as the new Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts-designate.

The Upper West regional minister Sulemana Alhassan has been sacked with his position going to Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, a new entrant into the Akufo-Addo government,

Three MPs have also been tapped to serve in the government as deputy ministers. They are MP for Gomoa Central constituency Naana Eyiah, MP for Gomoa West constituency Alex Kodwo Kom Abban and MP for Jaman South constituency Yaw Afful.

The changes are largely deputy ministerial with six of them at that level. Big names in the government have been largely untouched with some branding the reshuffle as lacklustre.

The President last announced a reshuffle four months ago, making 15 changes in August 2018.

There have been calls for the President to trim the size of his government, the largest in Ghana’s history. But from 110 ministers, the President’s executive has balloned to 123 ministers and deputies.

This follows the creation of six new regions which requires regional ministers and deputies.

Below is the release

PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO MAKES CHANGES TO HIS GOVERNMENT

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has made the following changes to the composition of his government, with immediate effect:

Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley constituency and former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, is now the Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts;

Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih is now Upper West Regional Minister-designate. The former Regional Minister, Sulemana Alhassan, has been reassigned;

Hon. Catherine Afeku, Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira constituency and former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, is now a Minister of State at the Office of the President, assigned to the Office of the Senior Minister;

Hon. Gifty Twum Ampofo, Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North constituency and former Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, is now Deputy Minister for Education;

Hon. Freda Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Tano North constituency and former Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, is now Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection;

Hon. Barbara Ayisi Asher, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North constituency and former deputy Minister for Education, is now Deputy Minister for Works and Housing;

Hon. Naana Eyiah, Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central constituency, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources;

Hon. Alex Kodwo Kom Abban, Member of Parliament for Gomoa West constituency, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Health;

Hon. Yaw Afful, Member of Parliament for Jaman South, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Aviation.

President Akufo-Addo is hopeful that Parliament will expedite the vetting of the Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Regional Minister-designate for Upper West, as well as the deputy Ministers-designate for Aviation, Lands and Natural Resources, and Health so they can assume their respective offices as quickly as possible.

Eugene Arhin

Director of Communications