Ghana carries out cabinet reshuffle

Ghana’s President John Atta Mills today (Wednesday) announced a cabinet reshuffle that saw two ministers – Health minister Joseph Yieleh Chireh and Information minister John Tia – lose their jobs.

A statement signed by the secretary to the President, Mr J.K. Bebaako-Mensah, said Interior minister Benjamin Kunbour who was last week appointed acting Attorney-General and minister of Justice, had been confirmed.

Works and Housing minister Alban Sumana Bagbin takes over the Health ministry.

The reshuffle had been speculated about over the past several months following revelations that a leading member of the ruling National Democratic Congress had been awarded millions of dollars in court-approved debt payments that went against the government.

The exact amount is still not clear however, but it was enough to cost Martin Amidu, the outgoing Attorney-General and minister of Justice, his job.

Tenure of office

On Tuesday, minister for Education Betty Mould-Iddrisu, under whose tenure of office the debts were paid, resigned.

Mr E.T. Mensah, minister for Employment and Social Welfare, has been transferred to the Works and Housing ministry while Mr Lee Ocran has been taken to the Education docket.

Mr Moses Asaga is the new minister for Employment and Social Welfare while Mr Fritz Baffour and Mr William Kwesi Aboah are now in charge, respectively, of the Information and Interior ministries.

President Mills also made a number changes to his deputy ministers, with Mr Baba Jamal from the ministry of Information swapping places with deputy Tourism minister, Mr James Agyenim Boateng, whilst Dr Omane Boamah was moved from the ministry of Environment, Science and Technology to the ministry of Youth and Sports.

Dr Mustapha Ahmed moved from the ministry of Works and housing to the ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.

Deputy Youth and Sports minister Nii Nortey Dua was shifted from the ministry of Water Resources to Works and Housing.

The president has also nominated Mr Steven Ackah and Mr Isaac Vanderpuije as deputy ministers in the Local Government ministry and Greater Accra Region respectively.