General News of Sunday, 23 July 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Who replaces Cecilia Dapaah as sanitation minister? Three big names pop up

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is te appointing authority Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is te appointing authority

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo accepted the resignation of his Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

Unlike the convention with such letters in the past, he did not name a replacement for the role in an acting capacity. The Chief Director will this lead the ministry till an announcement is made to that effect.

GhanaWeb is picking signals in the corridors of power that the president at this stage will be looking to hand the portfolio to someone who will be able to fit in seamslessly into the vacancy and one who can also skip parliamentary vetting, i.e. a serving minister.

Our list has been corroborated by that which has been published by pro-government outlet Asaase Radio, barely hours after Dapaah's resignation was accepted by the president.

Below are possible replacements for the position

1. Francis Asenso-Boakye, the current Minister of Works and Housing.

By so doing, will the president consider merging the two portfolios or as is usually the case Asenso will be put there in acting capacity? Time will tell.

2. Freda Prempeh, a one-time deputy minister when the ministry was under Works and Housing is being highly tipped. She is currently at the Ministry of Works and Housing.

3. MP for Suame and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, is also seen as a potential replacement. He has previously served in acting role at the finance ministry.

But as the Majority Leader in Parliament, the NPP will have to reset its leadership if he is moved.

Other names that continue to make the rounds especially as potential acting ministers include Dan Botwe, Samuel Jinapor and Henry Quartey. The first two have had experiences in recent time as acting ministers.