‘Nothing changed’ – Franklin Cudjoe reacts to Akufo-Addo’s reshuffle

Franklin Cudjoe, the President of IMANI Africa, has asserted that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's reshuffle on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, would not impact Ghana's economy.

According to him, the reshuffle solves nothing and would have been more meaningful if it came with the merger of some of the ministries.

He said that the reshuffle means that the country still has over 85 ministers, but a drastic reduction in the number of ministers is what the country actually needs in the face of its mounting economic difficulties.

He added that six out of the nine newly appointed ministers and all deputy ministers would contest as parliamentary candidates, which means that they have only six months in their new roles, which is not enough to make any difference.

"Overall, six out of the nine new ministerial nominees are contesting in the upcoming elections. All the new deputy ministers nominated will be contesting in the upcoming elections.

"They will start work somewhere in Mid or late March 2024 after vetting. In 6 months, in August, they will start campaigning to retain their seats, if not earlier, in the December elections. What real work would they have done to add value to the economy?" the IMANI president wrote on Facebook on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.

He added, "And there are still 86 ministers. Nothing changed when we expected a drastic reduction. The reshuffle would have been impactful if it was accompanied by a realignment and merger of some ministries".

Cudjoe also said that Ken Ofori-Atta, who was relieved of his duties as finance minister, is now even more powerful in the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.

According to him, Ofori-Atta becoming President Akufo-Addo's senior advisor on the economy and special envoy on international investment and the capital markets, as has been reported, means that he would have more influence in the government than the substantive finance minister has.

He indicated that not only would the former finance minister have the hears of the president, but he would be in charge of all of the importation agreements Ghana goes into.

"The former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta is to be appointed as the senior presidential advisor on the economy. He will also serve as the president's special envoy on international investment and the capital markets, according to Asaase News sources in the Office of the President."

"This means he will be in charge or influence negotiations of important deals… he is actually bigger than the finance minister," the IMANI president added.

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