In his second term, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo decreased the number of ministries to 29, from 36.
According to a report by the state-owned Daily Graphic newspaper, the number of ministers, deputy ministers and regional ministers to be appointed does not exceed 85.
The list of eligible Ghanaians who will serve as ministers and deputy ministers in the second term of President Akufo-Addo will be published this week as soon as the Appointments Committee is established by Parliament.
“Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency, told the Daily Graphic in Accra on Tuesday [January 19, 2021] that the list to be printed in the form of a statement on green sheets would contain a mixture of both old and new ministers, but that number would certainly not go beyond 85, as compared to 126 in the first term,” reads the paper.
Arhin added that former MPs who were appointed ministers or deputy ministers but were unable to win re-election in the 2020 parliamentary elections would be removed from the list.
He said those individuals had immediately lost the chance to be assigned to some ministerial post again.
“This means that over 40 ministers and deputy ministers in the first Akufo-Addo administration who lost their parliamentary seats will not find themselves in the new government.”
In the meantime, for his second term, the President has made new acting appointments to his office who “take on their duties in acting capacities, subject to consultation with the Council of State, which is yet to be constituted.”
A press release signed by Eugene Arhin, who has been retained as Director of Communications, confirmed the new appointment by the president.
In the president’s first term, the list includes some of the old appointees holding their positions with some fresh faces brought on board.
The Chief of Staff will still be Akosua Frema Osei-Opare; the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante; and the National Security Advisor, Brigadier-General Emmanuel Okyere, will still retain their old portfolios.
Saratu Atta will remain as the President’s Personal Assistant as well.
As Director of Operations, Lord Commey continues in his former position.
As Secretary to the Cabinet, Mercy Debrah-Karikari also retains her role.
Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah would succeed the late Victor Newman as Research Director under the new appointments.
The new Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Emmanuel Adumua-Bossman (a.k.a. Carlos von Brazi) and Fawaz Aliu, have been appointed to replace the elected Members of Parliament, Samuel Abu Jinapor and Francis Asenso-Aboagye.
Kow Essuman, Legal Counsel to the President, Michael Ofori-Atta, Director of ECOWAS and Regional Integration, and Sam Ellis, Director of Personnel, are all new appointees.