Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the seat of government, the Flagstaff House, has been practically emasculated in his role as Director of Communications at the Presidency with the appointment of Mustapha Hamid as Minister of Information and Presidential Spokesperson, Koku Anyidoho, a Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said.

According to him, the Minister of Information will be the one in charge of communicating government messages to the general public and at the same time work with departments and agencies to ensure that the government and its agencies are on the same wavelength.

For this reason, he said Mr Arhin would have no mandate to speak on behalf of the president and government.

The president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in his first set of appointments, announced Mr Arhin as Director of Communications at the Presidency. He subsequently appointed Mr Hamid as Information Minister and his spokesman. However, Mr Anyidoho believes that the two roles overlap, a situation that can create confusion in the dissemination of government information.

He said: “I was Director of Communications at the Presidency when Professor Mills was the president and so I appreciate the kind of work they will be doing. The task at hand is a difficult one and I pray for them, especially Eugene Arhin, who I consider as my younger brother.

“The appointment of Mustapha Hamid as Minister of Information has muted Eugene Arhin as the Director of Communications at the presidency. He has no mandate going forward. Mustapha [Hamid] as Information Minister will be coordinating with the agencies and departments, will be attending conference on behalf of the government.”