Richard Anane -The Comeback Kid?

Who Goes Out As Minister, Who Comes In And Who Stays

• Hon. Dr. Richard Anane, set to be back as Road Transport Minister,
• Mr. Stephen Ntim – Ministerial appointment to compensate for lost chairmanship bid,
• Hon. Nana Akomea – to be given chance to join finishing team,
• Hon. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah – from Regional Minister to Sector Minister?

With the African Union meeting barely behind him, and the two-day forum of the African Growth and Opportunities Act to follow up from July 16 to 19, President John Agyekum for the past two days has been setting in motion a comprehensive shifting of men to achieve maximum oomph in the final hurrah of his term.

With as many as eight cabinet ministers having already handed in their resignations, the President figured that there was little time to waste as the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) had already stolen the start from the ruling Government and for that matter is being more conscious of the ambition for his party to succeed him.

The Chronicle was unable to get close aides of the President to go on record as to how he intends to arrange the musical chairs to play harmonious card, but it was clear that he had chosen a list that may surprise a few.

President Kufuor is thus expected to announce a major Ministerial reshuffle in the next few days or weeks. The shake-up would see a replacement of the eight ministers, and others who are currently serving would be dropped while some deputies would be promoted to full Ministerial positions.

The Chronicle can report of intense lobbying currently going on by people seeking to be appointed by the President either as Ministers or at least, Deputy Ministers as further information indicates that palaces of some prominent chiefs are visited on daily basis by those seeking appointments with drinks and animals as presents to court the support of those influential traditional rulers to join them in their lobbying.

Sources close to the Presidency have however revealed that a number of people who were dropped as ministers in earlier reshuffles, would be finding their way back to Ministerial positions especially, those who have remained loyal to the Presidency and the party even after being sacked.

Unlike Hon. Isaac Edumadze who has reportedly demonstrated severe bitterness over his dismissal, other dismissed ministers like, former Volta Regional Minister, Kweku Owusu Yeboah; Former Western Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo and former Upper East Regional Minister, Mahami Salifu have been said to have remained loyal and committed to the Presidency may be consider for appointment to Deputy Ministerial positions.

On the other hand, former ministers like Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Prof. Kasim Kasanga and Thomas Broni, are however out of the question of possible consideration for reappointment, according to castle sources.

Fingers are pointing at Hon. Joseph Addah, the Energy Minister as someone who would be one of the biggest causalities in the impending ministerial reshuffle.

Mr. Addah will most likely, be replaced by Deputy Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Dr. Akoto Osei who appeared as a panellist on Metro TV’s ‘Good Evening Ghana’ programme for a discussion over energy matters with the NDC’s Hon. Moses Asaga, perhaps, as a prelude to how he would be engaging the opposition in debates over the current energy problems in the country.

Also, Dr. Richard Anane, the President’s darling boy and former Minister of Road Transport who resigned under controversial circumstances after a ruling by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) that cited him for conflict of interest and abuse of office, is highly tipped to be reappointed by the President, most likely to the same Ministry.

Arguments have been advanced that since CHRAJ had filed an appeal to challenge the ruling of Justice Bafoe Bonnie that set aside the ruling of the Human Rights Commission, there was no way the former Transport Minister would be appointed while the appeal had not been ruled on.

But Mr. Ken Anku, Special Assistant to the former Minister was quick to point out in an interview with The Chronicle that the appeal by CHRAJ does not constitute a stay of execution and he was hopeful that his boss would be getting the nod again.

Business tycoon and billionaire (by old Ghana Cedi values), Mr. Stephen Ntim, is also eyeing the Road Transport Ministry, but sources say he will be replacing Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng as the Local Government Minister with the latter moving to the Interior Ministry.

Incumbent Interior Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah who is said to be one of the trusted Ministers of the President has been mentioned by presidential sources as the potential replacement of Hon. Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor, as Defence Minister since the latter is one of the eight ministers who resigned to compete for the presidential ticket of the party.

Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey’s Tourism Ministry is likely to see a fresh hand. Mr. Kwesi Ankama, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff and Presidential affairs Minister, Kwadwo Mpiani, is likely to be appointed as Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations.

After successfully carrying out the challenging job of assisting the Chief of Staff and having been adequately tutored in the process, Mr. Ankama is believed by many as viable candidate for a ministerial schedule.

Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, who has been battling his Kwabre West NPP constituency chairmanship without success, would be moving to Accra to head the Education, Science and Sports Ministry as a replacement of Kwadwo Mpiani’s candidate in the presidential race, Papa Owusu Ankomah.

Mr. Randy Abbey of the Ghana Football Association has been tipped as someone who would get Deputy Ministerial Appointment to the Education Ministry. Hon. Nana Akomea, former Minister of Information is also likely to be reappointed but it is not clear where he would be posted, though many expect to see him also at the Education Ministry.

However, it is not clear as to who would be replacing Hon. Hackman Owusu Agyemang at the Water Resources, Works and Housing Ministry but political analyst say it would not be surprising to see Hon. Frema Opare taking over as a full minister of that sector.

From the outside, Egbert Faibille, noted to be an Akufo Addo sympathiser may have been pulled from the law firm of Kulendi@law to be deputy minister if the ongoing lobbying for him succeds.