Akufo-Addo returning from UK to fire and hire appointees – Report

Most government appointees are not having a goodnight sleep in recent days, following the President’s departure from Ghana on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, for an official visit to the United Kingdom (UK), as they fear he is out to plot who and who will be part of the rest of his second term mandate.

To the ordinary mind, Nana Akufo-Addo is simply honouring an invitation from Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya and Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson by leading Ghana’s delegation to the Global Education Summit in London, but The Herald has picked information that there is more to the trip and peoples’ blood pressure and sugar levels are not at peace.

His return will see a major shakeup and new appointment into his government. Reports are rife that the focus will be on heads of state institutions, especially departments and agencies.

Already, information available is that the heads who are above the statutory retirement age of 60, are going to be sent packing to enable the introduction of fresh limbs to get the government which has become very tardy and unpopular, reenergized.

Top on the replacement list are the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) boss, Dr. Kofi Kodua Sarpong, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited. They are above 60 years and have since early 2020, been pencilled to go home.

Other institutions needing heads are Free Zones Authority, following the departure of its boss; Michael Okyere Baafi, who has become the Member of Parliament (MP) of New Juabeng South and made Deputy of Minister Trade and Industry.

Also available is the National Service Scheme, whose boss; Mustapha Ussif, has since returned to Parliament on the ticket of the Yagaba-Kubori Constituency in the North East Region, and has also been made the Minister of Sport of Youth and Sport.

Also vacant is the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) chief executive position, which was vacated by Steve Amoah alias Stika, now the MP for Nhyiaeso Constituency in the Ashanti Region.

The National Youth Authority (NYA) CEO position vacated by Sylvester Tetteh for the Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro Constituency, in the Greater Accra Region, is also available with names such as Pius Enam Hadzide and the Deputy CEO, Akosua Asaa Manu, said to be neck and neck as to who gets appointed to head it.

One of the vacant positions the President has filled even before his return from London was that of the Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) following the retirement of Kofi Osei Ameyaw in March 2021.

The National Organizer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Kwabena Awuku alias Sammi Awuku, who was linked to the position for some time, late Friday afternoon, news emerged that he has finally been given the green light to assume the role.

Mr Awuku, a former National Youth Organizer of the NPP, according to the news is expected to resign from his current position as National Organizer to take over the new role.

But The Herald is informed that upon the return of the President will not only see the dismissal and appointment of the institutional heads but the announcement of the new Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMCEs).

The President, according to the paper’s sources took the MMDCEs list to the UK summit to work on, leaving many of his party’s members in suspense.

Many had thought that shortly after his Monday, July 26, meeting at the Alisa Hotel with the NPP National Executives Committee (NEC), the Presidency was going to release the names of the new MMDCEs, but this did not happen.

The meeting deliberated on the appointments of Board Chairs and board members, Chief Executives Officers and the MMDCEs, but the President was emphatic that the appointments will be announced after his 10-day visit to the UK.

Following the ministerial appointments made by President Akufo-Addo months ago, Ghanaians were expecting that the list for MMDCEs, would be announced, but there has been a delay with that.

Most of the ministers were repeated at their various positions and party member who were hoping for reshuffle and appointments, were not excited about the situation, and anything short of exciting the NPP rank and file with the new appointments having in mind popularity, hard work, regional balance etc, will not augur well for the governing party.

The NPP General Secretary, John Boadu, has after the meeting since explained that the appointment of MMDCEs has been delayed because the team set up for the vetting of the MMDCEs aspirants had to make sure there was a gender balance in their selection.

According to him, the infusion of youthful people and other factors, including ethnic background, also contributed to the delay in settling for the selected persons.

Meanwhile, the committee formed to vet the MMDCEs aspirants, have completed their work and submitted the report to President Akufo-Addo.

“The committee has finished and presented its report to the president. There is the need to ensure gender balance, the infusion of youthful people, and also to respond to local dynamics and ethnic backgrounds as well,” John Boadu told Citi News.

Per Article 243 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, the District Chief Executive for every district shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of not less than two-thirds majority of members of the Assembly present and voting at a meeting.