Kufuor's List Ready

Barring unforeseen developments, President John Agyekum Kufuor, who is running against time, will unveil the faces of his new ministerial team today. But even before he does so, it has been gathered that the exercise will see only a few new faces joining the wagon, as more deputies are expected to earn promotion as full-blown ministers.

The changes have been prompted by President Kufuor’s orders to ministers with presidential ambitions to vacate their positions before he descends on them, by the end of the recently-held African Union (AU) Summit. Although the ministers concerned have responded accordingly, the President has asked that they stayed at post until Parliament approves of his nominations for the top jobs.

Today could go down as a turning point in the political career of some deputy ministers, especially the female ones who are also Members of Parliament (MPs).

Deputy Minister of Manpower Development, Youth and Employment, Hon. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare would likely pick up a substantive ministerial position. Madam Frema, who is the MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon and a former senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, has been involved in development activities for a long time before veering into politics. She worked with ActionAid, a service which took her to several parts of the country, especially the North.

Ms Oboshie Sai-Coffie may also earn promotion, having successfully partnered Hon Kwamena Bartels at Information and National Orientation Ministry. Oboshie may stay put at that ministry, while her boss, Mr. Bartels, leaves to a more challenging ministry, possibly Transportation.

Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the woman who represents the largest constituency in terms of numbers in the country, is also likely to land a substantive ministerial position, having proven her mettle in the Information Ministry as a deputy minister, before her present position at the Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD. She is said not to be doing badly in her Weija constituency which has served the New Patriotic Party (NPP) with large electoral numbers in the past polls.

Before entering politics, she had run a successful Communications Company, Dynacom, at Osu. Her colleague at the same Ministry, Akwasi Osei Adjei, who has been a deputy since Positive Change Chapter One, is tipped for an elevation. The Ejisu-Juaben MP is one of he longest serving deputies in Kufuor’s administration.

Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a Deputy Minister at the Water Resources, Works and Housing Ministry, is also scheduled to join the list of smiling deputies.

Prof George Gyan-Baffour, a deputy minister in the Finance and Economic Planning Ministry, D. Guide learnt, will clear his desk for a likely transfer to a higher political calling. Senior ministers who have by now learnt the ropes of manning ministerial positions might not have to worry about being dropped as it happens during cabinet reshuffles.

President Kufuor stands apart from his predecessors in terms of giving opportunities to female citizens, the latest being the appointment of the country’s first female Chief Justice. Before Chief Justice Wood’s elevation, President Kufuor created a Women and Children’s Ministry, which has since its formation been managed by females.

The incumbent minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, will likely move to another ministry but should that happen, the portfolio would still go to a woman. They have been penciled to move offices in a swapping exercise which forms an important feature of today’s reshuffling. One of the likely reasons which informed President Kufuor’s decision not to engage more new faces is because of the limited time at his disposal in meeting the Parliamentary deadline.

Although the deputies would still be vetted, it is thought theirs would not be the usual rigorous and often elaborate and time-consuming procedures, since they are already onboard the ministerial team, albeit, as deputy ministers.

Parliament has just three weeks within which to tackle the procedures of approving or rejecting the President’s nominees for ministerial appointments. Such an approval or otherwise must be preceded by an invitation from the general public for memoranda on the nominees, followed by a vetting procedure by the Appointments Committee of Parliament. The last major task performed by the Committee was when it vetted Chief Justice Georgina Wood.

Today’s release was preceded by a long wait by not only the media but incumbent ministers and their deputies, especially since the President kept the names to his chest. All manouvres by the media to have little insights into the list were parried by the President. One factor which confused pundits was the fact that the President continued updating the list.

As at last night, the chess master was still reviewing his list, especially his choices for Foreign Affairs and Defence, where General Sam, a member of the Council of State, is widely tipped to pitch camp after the exit of Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor.