FLASHBACK: Mahama’s reshuffle is for the elections, it will be meaningless – Bawumia

On Tuesday, February 14, 2024, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo officially reshuffled some of his ministerial appointees following earlier reports of an imminent massive shake-up in the government.

The president sacked 16 of his ministerial and deputy ministerial appointees and also reassigned 7 of them.

A section of the public have been questioning the timing of the reshuffling, with the former National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, saying it is too late for a reshuffle.

Some Ghanaians on social media, including members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), have also been sharing comments made by leading NPP members, including the current Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, when former President John Dramani Mahama reshuffled his government in 2016.

Dr Bawumia, who was then the running mate of the NPP, said that Mahama’s shake-up was for electoral benefits and would have no impact on the livelihood of Ghanaians.

“The ongoing reshuffle appears to be one to do with winning an election rather than one aimed at addressing the challenges faced by Ghanaians. In this regard, I am convinced that the ongoing reshuffle by the President will be meaningless.

“Thankfully, the ultimate Reshuffle will be done on November 7th by the people of Ghana,” Dr. Bawumia wrote in a Facebook post shared on Wednesday, January 20, 2016.

Read the full story on Dr Bawumia's comments published by starrfmonline.com on January 20, 2016 below:

The running mate of the main opposition New Patriotic Party Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said the ongoing ministerial reshuffle by President John Mahama will amount to nothing.

According to him, Ghanaians need a reshuffle that will impact the quality of lives and create jobs and not one intended to win elections.

“The ongoing reshuffle appears to be one to do with winning an election rather than one aimed at addressing the challenges faced by Ghanaians. In this regard, I am convinced that the ongoing reshuffle by the President will be meaningless. Thankfully, the ultimate Reshuffle will be done on November 7th by the people of Ghana,” Dr. Bawumia wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday.

His comments come on the back of the Tuesday reshuffle which saw Interior Minister, Mark Woyongo moved from the ministry to the Presidency and former Chief of Staff Prosper Bani back in government. A government statement that announced the changes indicated that it was the first batch of ongoing changes to be effected in the structure of government.

Below are details of the comments by Dr Bawumia:

Reshuffles are normal with all governments. However, with the record of the current government and the current state of the Ghanaian economy with its attendant hardships, what the people of Ghana desire is a reshuffling/ change from among others:

The hardships that afflict our people;

The unprecedented joblessness affecting the Ghanaian youth;

The astronomic increases in taxes, utility prices and fuel;

The cancellation of teacher and nursing training allowances;

The decline of agriculture and manufacturing and

The unprecedented corruption under this government

The incompetent economic management of this government.

The ongoing reshuffle appears to be one to do with winning an election rather than one aimed at addressing the challenges faced by Ghanaians.

In this regard, I am convinced that the ongoing reshuffle by the President will be meaningless. Thankfully, the ultimate Reshuffle will be done on November 7th by the people of Ghana.

BAI/AE

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