I Won’t Reshuffle Today Or Tomorrow’
President Nana Akufo-Addo has been shooting down, high expectation of a section of the Ghanaian public to reshuffle his Ministers; saying, the call inspired by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), will not be heeded to, anytime soon.
According to the President, the opposition party is intensifying the calls, clandestinely, to destabilize his government.
“The calls come for all kinds of reasons; NDC wanting to destabilize the government is one. There are people who are also looking for jobs.”
The President, who is touring regions in the north, contrary to what others think, claims that he is so far, impressed with the performance of his appointees.
In his view, the outputs of these appointees have been considerable, outstanding and that is what he looks out for in them.
Speaking on Tamale-based North Star radio, President Akufo-Addo said; “Many of them, for me, have done outstanding work. Their output has been considerable, and that is what I look at.
If the output measures expectations, then I don’t have any strong reasons to heed the call”.
The call for reshuffle has been going on for some time now, with a good number of the requests coming from members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), as well as, the youth.
Last week, for instance, a pro-NPP pressure group, Alliance ForFootsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA), at a press conference, noted that the much-anticipated reshuffle was long overdue.
“Since we won power in 2017, AFFA has monitored and realized that President Akufo-Addo has not made any changes. We have conducted research and discovered that Ghanaians who voted for the NPP want to change the Ministers.
The group led by its Executive Secretary, Kwame Adomako Takyi, said in an interview that “The energy with which the President started is weaning, and so they need to see new faces to bring fresh ideas into the governance system”.
In all these, the ultimate goal is to break the 8-year jinx and in breaking the 8, the concerns of the party footsolders, party sympathizers and concerns of floating voters should be addressed. The concerns point to the fact that Ghanaians need changes in the ministries, state institutions and other bodies”.
“We are not saying the current ministers, deputies and CEOs, have underperformed…. Even in football there are changes. Ghanaians are not happy and it will be proper for us to reshuffle to bring new persons with fresh ideas to help manage the affairs”, he added.
Earlier, the pressure group, in a statement issued and signed by Mr Adomako Takyi, said the ministers of state who have almost abandoned their ministerial duties to chase presidential dreams, must, either be forced to resign or be fired from the government.
The group said the ministers have been tolerated for far too long, and their continuous stay in office was distracting government business, adding that, it was time to show them the exit, and give opportunity to those who are ready and prepared to serve in the interest of the party and the government.
“Inarguably, the NPP is known to have the men and women, and rightly so! It cannot be the case that we have suddenly run out of human resources such that we are compelled to maintain the same old crop of appointees for six years. Ghanaians expect much from us and we cannot fail them. Mr. President, there is an urgent need for a shakeup in your government,” the group pointed out.
Before the group came out, cousin of the President, Gabby AsareOtchere Darko, had trivialized the call for reshuffle, saying, their call won’t change anything.
AFFA which did not take this comment of Gabby kindly said “Here, we bring to the attention of the President, a Facebook post made by Gabby AsareOtchere-Darko, (former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute and close associate of the government) last Monday which reads, ‘It is as if a reshuffle will suddenly end the war in Ukraine, bring down inflation and make the cedi stronger than the dollar’.
We find Gabby’s comment very provocative, insensitive, reprehensible and show of arrogance. In this period of growing apathy and anger among the rank and file of the party, the least a leading member of the NPP and, or, a close associate of the presidency should do is to calm nerves, and not to rub it in our faces. Those whose actions and inactions incense the grassroots must be admonished to refrain from same,” the statement added.
A former General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, weeks ago also described as novel, the fact that President Akufo-Addo has not “done any major changes” in his administration.
Speaking on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, host KwamiSefaKayi, asked Kwabena Agyepong who was his guest on the show if the President should reshuffle his appointees.
Answering, he said: “I’m a bit surprised because even in football teams during half times there are changes. It’s pretty novel. It’s something that doesn’t normally happen; to have a government run for six years without major changes, but that is for the President to do, it is not for me, I mean he is an experienced person”.
Lawyer and social commentator, Kwame Gyantuah also asked the President to move the Finance Minister from his position.
“I do not understand why we have a government and there has not been one reshuffle. I do not understand it. Are we trying to say all the government appointees have done a good job, is that what we are saying?” he asked.
Mr. Jantuah further urged President Akufo-Addo to emulate his predecessor, the first President to come from the NPP, President John Agyekum Kuffour.
“What did he do, he did reshuffle and he told some Ministers I run this government and I’m moving you here. If you don’t want leave.”
“I think if for nothing, the Minister for Roads and Highways should go, Ministry of Health, I think the Finance Minister should be moved. If you do a poll on Ghanaians they will say that he hasn’t been able to handle the Ministry that well,” he said.
Mr. Jantuah said one classical example has to do with how Mr. Ofori-Atta introduced the controversial Electronic Levy (E-levy).
“He (Ofori-Atta) did not consult anybody, no consultation with stakeholders, no consultation with opposition parties then you brought it. You now took it to Parliament it raises so much and you are now doing the consultation,” he reiterated.
The Benkumhene of Buoem, Nana AmeyawAntwi-Boasiako II, also advised the President to reshuffle to help address some of the challenges Ghanaians are facing. The traditonal ruler argues that some of the Ministers are underperforming and are not fit for purpose.
He specifically asked for the sacking of the Food and Agriculture Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto for being complacent and forgot about his job because of his presidential ambition.
“I appeal to the President to sack him, He is no longer fit for the job. He should sack him so he would go and focus on her presidential; ambition”,
Others are President of policy think tank IMANI-African Franklin Cudjoe, former NPP for Mampong Addai Nimo, Volta NPP, governance think-tank, Centre for Greater Impact Africa (CGIA) and many others.
Source: Anchorghana
