Be diligent and humble - President

President John Dramani Mahama on Monday reminded political appointees that their appointment was an opportunity for them to contribute their quota towards nation building.

This, he said, should be done with diligence and humility to serve the people who had placed them in power.

President Mahama said this when he swore into office newly-appointed Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State at the Flagstaff House.. The appointees, who were recently vetted and subsequently approved by Parliament, are: Alexander Segbefia, Minister of Defence, Peter Anarfi-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Deputy Minister, Lands and Natural Resources.

The rest are; Samuel Yaw Adusei, Deputy Minister, Water Resources, Works and Housing, and, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, Deputy Minister of Defence.

The Ministers swore the oaths of allegiance, secrecy and office, which were administered by the President, and were later presented with their instruments of office.

President Mahama said there were plans to review the management of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) by bringing in efficiency and transformation.

He stressed that moves by the government to streamline the management of SOEs to engender efficiency was due to the fact that such organisations directly impacted the lives of the citizenry.

President Mahama explained that the movement of ministers formed part of efforts by the government to change the face of its administration, reminding the Ministers that “the positions that we are given are not our property and we serve at the pleasure of the people of Ghana.

Just as you have been appointed today, tomorrow you could be removed or shifted elsewhere, and you should always remember when that happens that the office belongs to the people of Ghana and not to us.”

Humility and modesty, he said, were essential hallmarks of social democratic governance, he added, noting that “too many people have complained of arrogance in some of our appointees, and we need to remember that we serve at the pleasure of our people.”

Congratulating the new appointees, President Mahama asked them to hit the ground running, as there were great expectations from the citizenry.

“I expect you to go straight into business; you are required to work to the best of your ability, and be focused on how you can change the lives of our people,” he charged.

Mr. Segbefia, a former Deputy Chief of Staff, and former Deputy Defence Minister, on behalf of his colleagues thanked the President for the confidence reposed in them, and pledged to discharge their duties assiduously.

“We are very much alive to the fact that we have to hit the ground running, and we will not let you down.”