President John Dramani Mahama, on Tuesday, urged Ministers of State to strictly adhere to government policies, which would help improve on the living standards of Ghanaians in their areas. That, he said, could be achieved by implementing and monitoring all policies based on the tenets of good governance, democracy and transparency.

President Mahama stated this when he swore into office two Deputy Ministers whose appointment has been approved by Parliament. The Deputy Ministers, who took the oaths of Secrecy, Office and Allegiance are Mr Andy Osei Okrah, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister and Dr. Robert Baba Kuganab-Lem, the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister.

President Mahama advised them to work effectively in collaboration with their substantive Ministers to achieve the development targets of the Government before the close of the year.

He advised the Upper East Regional Minister to forge ahead with the planned irrigation project at the Kulkpong River, which is expected to help farmers in the three northern regions, to do all year round farming when completed.

President Mahama said although Ghana was politically decentralised, more was yet to be carried out in the districts and regions to make the decentralised Departments independent and effective.

He, therefore, pledged the commitment of his administration to work around the clock to ensure effective decentralization, which would ensure that district officers were no longer accountable to national officers only.

“You were carefully selected…because of your vast experience in your various fields and… and we are all counting on you to deliver on our promise to the people of Ghana,” President Mahama stated.

Dr. Kuganab-Lem, on behalf of his colleague, thanked President Mahama for the appointment and gave the assurance that they would work hard to justify the confidence reposed in them.