The Board will be chaired by Mr. Sammy Awuku, the National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

[contextly_sidebar id=”2pFbduSlFbk2A7lkMFe6s2Pf6v27gFai”]Other members expected to serve on the Board include Founder of the Ghana’s School Feeding Programme, Dr Kwame Amoako Tuffour, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Lawyer Justin Kodua Frimpong who represents management on the Board and Lawyer Bright Wereko Brobbey, Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations.

Acting CEO of the National Youth Authority, Emmanuel Sin Ayet Asigri and a Forensic Auditor, Mr. James Quarshie were also appointed as board members.

YEA was established under the Youth Employment Act 2015 (Act 887) to empower young people to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic and sustainable development of the nation.

Its objective is to support the youth between the ages of 15 to 35 years through skills training and internship modules.

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By: Sammi Wiafe/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The President Akufo Addo has appointed a new Executive Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Ofosu Asamoah.

He replaces Mr. Charles Adongo Bawa Duah who was appointed by former President John Mahama in 2016.

But the ICU contends that the process of replacing Mr. Charles Bawa Duah with Mr. Ofosu Asamoah without recourse to laid down procedure is likely to impact negatively on labour issues.

According to the General Secretary of the ICU, Solomon Kotei, the selection of the Executive Secretary must be conducted in a transparent manner so as not to infringe on the rights of all stakeholders.

“This is the right for the Public Services Commission; the Commissioners are also appointed by the tripartite committee comprising government, labour and employers association…if with the Executive powers of the President they want to come and usurp the power of the Public Services Commission, what we are advising is that the position should be vacant then they can do that,” he remarked.

Mr. Kotei added,“Even so, that person must go through the right procedure and that is what we are saying.”

Meanwhile the ICU has served notice it will intensify their pressure should their appeals go unattended to.

The General Secretary of the Union would not readily disclose the plan of action than to mention of consensus among the various labour fronts.

“The momentum is gathering; organised labour is putting itself together and probably a stronger position and voice may be heard than what ICU has done,” he asserted.

Mr. Charles Adongo Bawa Duah assumed office after Dr. Bernice Welbeck who served as Acting Executive Secretary of the NLC for about three years.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

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The group could not fathom why Bawku Central constituency was left out in the appointments of ministers, deputy ministers and other relevant positions by President Akufo-Addo despite numerous competent persons from the area who could support execute government’s transformational agenda.

[contextly_sidebar id=”XB7VJIf1OYUNlpp0SvVp5KJ4eKn8zLyG”]Speaking at a press conference in Bawku on Saturday, spokesperson for the group, Bagura Yahuza, argued that, the immense contribution of the constituency to the party’s victory over the years cannot be underestimated hence they must be compensated with an appointment.

He mentioned Lawyer Mohammed Tahiru, Lawyer Majeed Amandi, Agbanwa Gabiana, Seidu Abdulai among others, as competent persons who can help the President succeed if given the opportunity.

Mr. Yahuza intimated that, President Akufo-Addo must appoint one of their own to his government by close of March, 2017 or incur their wrath.

“The Bawku Central constituency has always remained faithful and loyal to the NPP since 1992. In fact, the constituency has contributed significantly in both human and financial resources, as the largest contributor of votes to the NPP’s fortunes in the Upper East Region.

“Despite our loyalty to the Danquah-Busia-Dombo political tradition, none of our active and competent members in the constituency has been appointed to serve in the ministerial positions of Nana Addo’s government. We are appealing to president Nana Addo that by the end of March, he should include our own in his government or else we will advice ourselves accordingly. If we are pushed to the wall, we shall leave the NPP to join other parties”

Meanwhile, on the appointment of a Municipal Chief Executive for the area, the group is of the strong conviction that, either Mr. Abubakar Iddrisu Bawa or Amadu Moqtar be considered by the President to serve the people of Bawku.

“We know of some party executives already in Accra trying to manipulate to their advantage who should be appointed the MCE for Bawku.  Any appointment apart from the two names will not be in the best interest of  President Nana Addo.”

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By: Frederick Awuni/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to him, the best way to evaluate the Akufo-Addo government is on the basis of how they deliver on their promises and not on the size of the government.

[contextly_sidebar id=”CK1sPxUiIwblrij0uCWECmKndmY3kkrI”]According to him, even though the size of the ministerial appointments is huge, the end will justify such appointments.

“I know at the end of the day, the end will justify the inclusion,” the Suame MP stated on the floor of parliament.

He further urged the Appointments Committee to work expeditiously during the vetting.

“Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I chose my words advisedly. I will urge the Appointments Committee to work expeditiously.”

President Akufo-Addo on recently nominated 50 deputies and 4 others to serve as Ministers of State at the presidency and ministries, bringing his total number of ministers to 110, the highest in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.

The President has since come under intense criticism since the appointment. While some have argued that the decision will lead to bureaucracy, others believe that it will only worsen corruption.

But the President on Friday defended his decision, saying the unprecedented problems confronting Ghana demand a large government.

“I don’t believe that my government in the Fourth Republic has big numbers in view of the swollen challenges,” the President said in an interview with the Daily Graphic and Ghana Television.”

The President reiterated that the initial justification from that the weak nature of the economy required a competent army.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This promise comes at a time when Ghanaians are questioning the President’s commitment to cut down on excessive spending after appointing some 110 ministers to serve in his government.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JcVZqkMRojNEHakuJDcxnZW1V60bo9IO”]But speaking to Abdul Moomen of GTV, the President said government had already kick-started processes, including a directive for Ministers to declare their assets to check profligacy.

“We want a situation where political office holders are the first to recognize that they serve the public interest not their own personal interest. I have said it time again that those of my party in adherence, like-minded people, who think that coming into the public sector is going to be an avenue for making money are going to be disappointed. To the extent that my eyes and ears can see what is going to happen, I am not going to allow it to happen. For instance, as we sit today, in the record time, all the first appointments that I made have all declared their assets, all 36 Ministers have all declared and filed their assets with the Auditor General.”

“It is part of the process of reassuring the Ghanaian people of the commitments that we made to protect the public purse. The commitments that we made to ensure that we live with the political system that minimizes corruption which has really ravaged our country and brought us to this low level of economic decline, there is going to be a systematic attempt to deal with it.”

I need men for unprecedented challenges – Nana Addo

In response to the criticism over the size of his government, the President said the unprecedented problems confronting Ghana demand a large government, hence his decision.

“I don’t believe that my government in the Fourth Republic has big numbers in view of the swollen challenges,” the President said in an interview with the Daily Graphic and Ghana Television.

In President Akufo-Addo’s view, the end will justify the means, as he assured that his government was going to work for the people.

“We have a problem, and what is the best way? It is better to have men and women capable of serving the nation’s interests and to work to grow the economy… If I succeed, you will soon find out the brouhaha is nothing compared to the success.”

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By: Marian  Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The President named 50 deputies and 4 others to serve as Ministers of State at the presidency/ministries on Wednesday, bringing his total number of ministers to 110, the highest since the 4th Republic.

Many have since criticized the President for the decision, arguing that this will only burden the public purse considering that, aside the salaries and benefits, all these officials will retire with huge amounts as ex-gratia.

But the Information Minister at a press conference held at the Information Ministry, defended the President’s decision, saying “in putting together this government, he [President] has been guided by the competences and experiences of the people and the legal requirements for making such appointments.”

He said the “Akufo Addo government has inherited a country whose economy is if you want at its weakest …requires a strong army that will resolve, confront these challenges and resolve them in the rapid manner that we[Ghanaians] require in order to put our country back on the path of progress and development”

“If we keep doing business as usual, we cannot transform the country in the manner that we envisage. This number of Ministers that the President has presented to Parliament brings his entire government to 110 Ministers of State and deputies who would assist him deliver on the ambitious programme of national transformation and development which the people of Ghana have charged him to implement,” he added.

He further clarified that, the President was guided by Article 78 (2) of the constitution in making his appointments.

“He was minded by this provision and the ambitious nature of his transformational agenda to put together a government that answers both to this constitutional provision and the need for the rapid transformation of our country,” he added.

Offering explanations for the President’s decision to appoint a Minister who will specifically be in charge of Public Procurement, Mustapha Hamid said the President resorted to such a move as a means of tackling wastage through public procurement.

“Part of the President’s determination to get a hold on national expenditure is the reason why he has appointed a Minister of State in his office responsible for procurement whose responsibility will be to ensure proper value for money procurement. It is generally agreed that the biggest source of wastage is through public procurement. An expert in procurement law has therefore been nominated to take care of the business of fleecing the state through public procurement.”

Adwoa Sarfo named minister of state in charge of public procurement 

Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, and Deputy Majority Leader, Adwoa Sarfo, was today [Wednesday] appointed a Minister of State at the presidency in charge of Public Procurement.

Her name was among a list of four new ministers of state at the presidency/ministry that was presented to Parliament for vetting and approval. The other three ministers of state appointed include, Minister of State at the Office of the President, Brian Acheampong, Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nurah Gyeile and Minister of State at the Ministry of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, Kwesi Yankah.

Akufo-Addo engaged in ‘chaskele’ appointments – Muntaka

Meanwhile the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, has likened President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominations to the game of ‘chaskele’ saying it appears the portfolios were just being passed on to “everyone.” –

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The President today [Wednesday], named 54 persons to serve as Ministers of State at the presidency/ministries, and deputy ministers  in his government, bringing to 110, the number of ministers who will be serving under his administration.

This is the highest number of appointees any government has had since the fourth Republic.

Some Ghanaians who could not hide their frustration about the move, took to social media, particularly Twitter and Facebook, to express their concerns.

Many suggested that the President in most cases was rewarding party loyalty by giving out positions, instead of having in mind the larger national interest.

Below are samples of social media reactions 

The view generally is that, the move will only burden the public purse considering that, aside the salaries and benefits, all these officials will retire with huge amounts as ex-gratia.

Information Minister Mustapha Hamid, has said Nana Addo did not any point promise a lean government, urging Ghanaians to judge them by efficiency and not the size of the government.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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Out of the total 110, 20 are Regional Ministers and their Deputies, 40 ministers for various ministries, with 50 deputies.

In the President’s latest list of appointments presented to Parliament, he named 50 persons to serve as Deputy Ministers, and 4 to serve as Ministers of State.

[contextly_sidebar id=”I4nKiDaHoOpt2Op9RS37nPI7NhY4sqk1″]Nana Addo by this number, would have the highest list of ministers and deputies to serve in any government since the start of the fourth Republic.

Substantive Ministers & Ministers of state appointed by previous governments 

In Jerry John Rawlings’ first term after the 1992 elections, he had Nineteen (19) substantive ministers, but he increased to Twenty-Five (25) in his second term. John Agyekum Kufuor in his first time increased the number of substantive ministers to Thirty-One (31), and maintained the same number in his second term.

The late John Evans Atta Mills in his first term managed to beat down the number to Twenty-Three (23) to fit into his vision. It must however be noted that, he had six (6) Ministers of State in addition to the Twenty-Three (23) bringing the number to Twenty-Nine (29).

He unfortunately didn’t have a second term after his demise. John Dramani Mahama in his first time had Twenty-Four (24) substantive ministers, with Five (5) Ministers of State at the presidency, making it Twenty-Nine 29, the exact number Atta Mills had.

This list however doesn’t include regional ministers and their deputies, as well as deputies for the various ministries.

Below is the full list of  Nana Addo’s latest appointment:

See the full list below:

1. Minister of State at the Office of the President in charge of Public Procurement      –    Hon Sarah Adwoa Safo

2. Minister of State at the Office of the President  –          Brian Acheampong

3. Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture –          Nurah Gyeile

4. Minister of State at the Ministry of Education in charge of Tertiary Education –          Kwesi Yankah

For the list of deputy ministers, while some ministries have been allocated three deputies, others have one, who will support the substantive ministers to deliver on the government’s mandate.

The names of the nominees for Deputy Ministers are as follows:

1. Ministry of Finance – Kwaku Kwarteng, Hon Abena Osei Asare, & Charles Adu Boahen

2. Ministry of Energy – Owuraku Aidoo,  Joseph Cudjoe, Mohammed Amin Anta

3. Ministry of Local Government and Rural Dev’t – Osei Bonsu Amoah, Collins Ntim, Kwasi Boateng Agyei

4. Ministry of Information –  Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei, Perry Curtis Kwabla Okudzeto
5. Ministry of Agriculture – William Agyapong Quaitoo, Sagre Bambangi, & George Oduro

6. Ministry of Trade and Industry  –  Hon Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah &  Robert Ahomka-Lindsey,

7. Ministry of Roads and Highways –  Hon Kwabena Owusu Aduomi & Hon Anthony N-Yoh Puowele Karbo

8. Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources  – Benito Owusu Bio & Barbara Oteng Gyasi

9. Ministry of Works and Housing – Freda Prempeh & Eugene Antwi

10. Ministry of Education –  Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum & Barbara Ayisi Acher

11. Office of Attorney General and Ministry of Justice – Godfred Dame, Joseph Dinkiok Kpemka

12. Ministry of Health – Hon Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu Tina Mensah

13. Ministry of Railways Development – Kwaku Agyenim Boateng & Andy Appiah-Kubi

14. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration – Mohammed Habbib Tijani, Charles Owiredu

15. Ministry of Communications – George Andah & Vincent Sowah Odotei

16. Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation – Patrick Boamah & Michael Yaw Gyato

17. Ministry of Defence – Maj. Derrick Oduro

18. Ministry of The Interior –  Henry Quartey

19. Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and Innovation –  Patricia Appiagyei

20. Ministry of Regional Reorganisation and Development –  Martin Agyei-Mensah Korsah

21. Ministry of Transport – Nii Kwartei Titus Glover

22. Ministry of Employment And Social Welfare – Bright Wireko Brobbey

23. Ministry of Fisheries And Aquaculture –  Francis Kingsley Ato Cudjoe

24. Ministry of Aviation – Kwabena O. Darko-Mensah

25. Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs – Paul Essien

26. Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection – Gifty Twum Ampofo

27. Ministry of Youth And Sports – Pius Enam Hadzide

28. Ministry of Tourism, Creative Arts And Culture – Dr Ziblim Barri Iddi

29. Ministry of Monitoring And Evaluation – William Kwasi Sabi

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This leaves the President with 212 more persons to be named for the various assemblies.

They are Iddrisu Musah, also known as Musa Superior, who is headed for the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, a former Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the NPP for Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Anthony K.K Sam, also a former Western Regional Secretary of the NPP for Sekondi/Takoradi, and Osei Assibey Antwi for the Kumasi Metrpolitan Assembly.

The President has also appointed Charles Bissue, current Western Regional Secretary of the NPP, as presidential staffer.

MMDCEs to be appointed by end of March 

The move follows the announcement by the Minister of Local Government, Hajia Alima, that the various assemblies will all have their chief executives by the end of March.

“The process is ongoing. We have finished the vetting at the regional level so we are now validating them at the national level. Definitely, by the end of this month [March]we would have appointed them,” Hajia Mahama said.

She noted that, government had put in place measures to minimize the agitations that normally accompanied such appointments.

She explained that one of the measures was to open invitation for applications at the district level, which preceded the screening and vetting.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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President Nana Addo made the announcement while announcing the third batch of Ministers nominee at the Flagstaff House on Thursday.

This announcement follows a similar one on Tuesday and Wednesday, which saw persons including Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West constituency, Ursula Owusu, the National Women’s Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Otiko Afisa Djaba and Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey being appointed as Minister for Communications, Minister for Gender and Social Protection and Foreign Affairs Minister respectively.

In all, Nana Addo has announced the names of 36 persons for various ministries. He however explained that six of the nominees will serve as Ministers of State at the presidency.

Profile of Mustapha Hamid 

Mustapha Abdul-Hamid is 45 years old. He holds a Diploma in Education, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies and a Master of Philosophy Degree, also in Religious Studies, all from the University of Cape Coast.

He is presently a Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Cape Coast, where he specializes in the areas of Islam & Gender and Political Thought in Islam.

Prior to taking up teaching, he worked in the media in various capacities as Editor of the High Street Journal, Editor of the Statesman newspaper, News Editor at the then Choice FM and Strategy 4 Planning Manager at Media Majique & Research Systems.

He has published widely in many prestigious academic journals around the world. In politics, he was National Youth Organiser of the NPP from 2002-2005. He has been Spokesperson for the President from 2007 to date. He is married with five children.

Below is the list released for Thursday:

1.Minister for Planning  – Prof. Gyan Baffour (MP for Wenchi)

2.Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts – Catherine Ablema Afeku (MP for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Constituency)

3.Minister of Information – Mustapha Hamid

4.Minister for Special Development Initiative – Mavis Hawa Koomson (MP for Awutu Senya East)

5.Minister of Youth and Sports – Isaac Asiamah (MP for Atwima Mponua constituency)

6. Minister of Fisheries– Elizabeth Afoley Quaye (MP for Krowor)

7. Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs – Kofi Dzamesi

8. Minister of Aviation – Cecelia Dapaah

9. Minister of Inner cities and Zongo Development- Abubakar Boniface Siddique

10. Minister of Business Development- Awal Mohammed

11. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs – Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu (MP for Suame and Majority Leader)

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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