Four possible reasons why President Mahama picked Kofi Adams over Nii Lante Vanderpuye as sports minister

Kofi Adams’ appointment, which came via a communique from Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Acting Spokesperson to the President, indicated that the Buem MP will oversee the sector and ensure its development.

President John Dramani Mahama’s decision has sparked discussions across the country, with some questioning why Nii Lante Vanderpuye was passed over in favor of Kofi Adams.

GhanaWeb Sports presents four possible reasons behind this decision by John Mahama:

Regional Balance

The 1992 Constitution mandates the president of the country to ensure a ‘reasonable regional and gender balance’ in the appointment of ministers.

Beyond the constitutional requirement, the political interest matter comes into play, as the president must ensure he is seen as a ‘father’ for all. His appointments should, therefore, have a national outlook.

A careful look at the 42 ministerial appointments so far shows that the maximum any region got was four, which includes the Volta and Northern Regions. The Greater Accra Region, which Nii Lante Vanderpuye hails from, had three, and his appointment would have increased it to four.

Prior to Kofi Adams’ nomination, the Oti Region, which he hails from, had only one minister, the regional minister. Kofi Adams has thus become the only sectorial minister from the Oti Region in John Mahama’s government.

Parliamentary Requirement

President Mahama is obligated by the 1992 Constitution to appoint the majority of his ministers from Parliament. This is made even more complex by the number of NDC MPs in the ninth parliament, many of whom will be lobbying for positions.

Nii Lante’s exit from Parliament may have affected his chances, as the president had to meet the parliamentary percentage while taking into account regional and gender balance issues. As mentioned earlier, Kofi Adams is the MP for Buem Constituency in the ninth Parliament.

Satisfying the JJ Rawlings Block in NDC

Another key and strategic consideration in the appointment of Kofi Adams was his closeness to the founder of the National Democratic Congress.

The NDC likely has three internal factions; the Jerry John Rawlings, Atta Mills, and Mahama blocks. For the sake of unity and internal party politics, John Mahama is somehow obliged to try to satisfy each block with his appointments, and that may have swung things in favor of Kofi Adams.

Non-confrontational Leader at Sports Ministry

Another reason, which is purely speculative, is that, with the importance of the 2026 World Cup in mind, President John Dramani Mahama may want someone who can engage in dialogue and build a relationship with the Ghana Football Association to enhance Ghana’s qualification chances.