Akufo-Addo creates rubberstamp cabinet

President Akufo-Addo, has finally revealed members of his cabinet, but without his influential family and friends, who have made up his government.

The cabinet is seen as a rubberstamp arrangement meant only to accept and adopt every government policy brought before them.

The list of 19 ministers submitted to Parliament Tuesday, was devoid of most of his influential family members, who he made ministers.

Missing from the list are Senior Minister, Osafo Maafo; Housing Minister, Atta Akyea; Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu and Roads and Highways Minister, Kwasi Amoako–Atta.

But two family members; Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo, are named as members.

The President’s action is in fulfilment of Article 76(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which enjoins him to select some Ministers to form his Cabinet.

The Article states that, “There shall be a cabinet which shall consist of the President, the Vice President and not less than ten and not more than nineteen Ministers of State.”

It did not state which Ministerial portfolio, should be included in the Cabinet of any government.

Clause (2) of the same Article said the Cabinet shall “assist the President in the determination of general policy of the Government.”

Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Aaron Ocquaye, announced the list to the Members of Parliament (MPs).

Below is the list of Ministers selected:

(1) Alan Kyeremanteng – Trade

(2) Ken Ofori Atta – Finance

(3) Dominic Nitiwul – Defence

(4) Ayorkor Botchey – Foreign Affairs

(5) Gloria Akufo – AG

(6) Ambrose Dery – Interior

(7) Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto – Agriculture

(8) Boakye Agyarko – Energy

(9) Dr. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh – Education

(10) Kwaku Agyeman Manu – Health

(11) Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei – Monitoring and Evaluation

(12) Dan Botwe – Regional Integration

(13) Peter Amewu – Lands

(14) Kofi Ada – Sanitation and water

(15) Joe Ghartey – Railway Development

(16) Ignatius Baffuor Awuah – Employment and Labour

(17) Kwaku Ofori Asiamah – Transport

(18) Catherine Afeku – Tourism

(19) Mavis Hawa Koomson – Special Development in initiatives