A deputy minister for information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has described the total package of Mills’ reshuffle as a “deep surgical operation”. His description is against the backdrop that the reshuffle will go beyond ministers to include other government appointees.

Lest than 24 hours ago, the President announced a reshuffle of his ministers but the release indicated that the list was not exhaustive yet and so, more was in the offing.

Mr Ablakwa said the reshuffle will permeate through to the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies as well as Board members and heads of state institutions. He mentioned that nobody is aware of the list because the president is keeping it to himself and would only do the announcement as and when he desires. In view of this, the deputy minister did not rule himself out as a possible of him being affected by the ongoing shuffle.

Mr Ablakwa on the one hand said since the President declared 2011 as the action year, the reshuffle was perhaps to demonstrate how he will kick-start the year 2011.

On the other hand, the deputy minister explained that the reshuffle did not mean that some people were incompetent. Instead, he said there are numerous reasons why the president would think that there is the need for some changes to be made in his government.

He rubbished the claim by some dissident thoughts that the reshuffle was no improvement but a mere movement of the same “Team B” members who have been described as inexperienced.

Speaking on Metro TV “Good Evening Ghana” show, Mr Ablakwa also expressed his shock at the petty analysis of the NPP National Chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey who sought to portray the reshuffle as a cheap public relations gimmick of the government to sweep media attention of the fuel price increases.

According to Ablakwa, reshuffle is a complex exercise which cannot be decided upon suddenly but requires a lot of work. Hence it could not have been driven by the NPA’s announcement.

It will be recalled that before the curtains were brought down on the year 2010, President Mills declared 2011 as an action year of his government which will see massive infrastructural development, more prudent economic management, and investment in the people.

And so, it is the interpretation of many that perhaps, this is an initial step to the announced action year 2011.