Six ministers dropped, two more to go…

Defence and Foreign Affairs ministries hold-up ministerial list for Monday

After a lengthy meeting with his outgoing ministers yesterday, President Kufuor is set to announce a new Cabinet devoid of six of the eight minister-aspirants seeking to succeed him as leader of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

There would also be a musical chair that would see some ministers changing portfolios, with some deputy ministers billed for promotion in what is expected to kick-off by this weekend.

The first list of new minsiters is expected to be submitted to Parliament Tuesday after it’s been formally released Monday, sources say.

Among the ministers relieved of their posts following their resignations are Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister for Defence; Professor Mike Ocquaye, Minister for Communications; Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister for Tourism and Diaspora Relations and Mr. Hackman Owusu Agyeman, Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources.

Two minister-aspirants thought to be ready to put-off their ambitions and stay in office following the presidential directive to quit and concentrate-on-your-jobs or be fired, beat a retreat and chose to hang their gloves as well.

They are MP for Sekondi and Minister for Education, Science and Sports, Hon. Paapa Owusu Ankomah, and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and MP for Akim Swedru, Hon. Felix Owusu Agyapong.

Hon. Agyapong was also the caretaker Minister for Road Transport.

Two prominent members of the eight who are reputed to be among the top five in the race to succeed Kufuor have, however, been given lifelines by their schedule. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Mr. Alan Kyeremanten, Minister of Trade, Industry, PSI and PSD, have both been given longer terms to quit office.

While Akufo Addo is billed to represent President Kufuor at a major event in Russia and Eastern Europe between July13-16, Mr. Alan Kyeremanten is scheduled to supervise a major AGOA event expected to be graced by US Secretary of State, Madam Condoleeza Rice.

Both ministers have up to the end of the month to wrap up and quit.

By early morning yesterday, the President was in a meeting with his outgoing ministers following a hold-up that was largely the result of last minute deliberations over which people should inherit two key Cabinet posts – Minister for Defence, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD.

The Defence portfolio has been held by the President’s younger brother, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, MP for Manhyia, since the ruling party seized control of power in the 2000 elections. It is the only portfolio that has never been affected by a ministerial reshuffle since 2000.

The Foreign Affairs portfolio has been held by two of the party’s old trusted hands – Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, who is expected to hold the fort till his return from the scheduled trip to Bulgaria and Russia and Hon. Hackman Owusu Agyeman, MP for New Juabeng North and outgoing Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, who was incidentally the first minister under the Kufuor administration to hold that post.

The current Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and the longest serving Deputy Minister at a single ministry was initially pencilled-in for the full ministerial job. His name was, however, dropped at the last hour when the President decided that he still needed some tutoring as a deputy minister.

Sources say the presidency had also tinkered with hiring out the hands of an old retired Army Officer and member of the Council of State, Major General Edwin Kwamina Sam (Rtd) for the post of Defence Minister.

It was unclear as of press time yesterday afternoon who were to inherit these two posts.

The only Minister not present at yesterday’s meeting was Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, the first and only Minister to publicy announce that he had quit his ministerial post to fulfill his aspiration.

Information gathered by this paper suggests that the President also took the opportunity to inform the seven minister-aspirants that he had accepted their resignations in good faith. He, however, urged them to hold on to their offices till their replacements ministers are vetted and approved by Parliament.

He is said to have advised them to be civil in their campaigns and dealings with each other.

Names coming up indicated that former Road Transport Minister, Hon. Dr. Richard Anane; losing candidate for the national chairmanship, Mr. Stephen Ntim, former Information Minister and MP for Okaikoi South, Hon. Nana Akomea and current Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, were all set to pick up full ministerial jobs.

The six relieved ministers are expected to hand over their comprehensive notes to the newly appointed ministers by Monday before stepping out to pursue their presidential ambitions.

They are expected to be leaving at different times between next week and the end of this month. Late last month a statement issued by Ambassador D. K. Osei, Secretary to the President, said "after frank and open discussions, an understanding was reached that the Ministers would step aside from Government SOON after the AU Summit."

It continued "this is to enable them concentrate on their individual efforts to win the Party's nomination and also enable Government continue with its work without any distraction throughout the hectic period ahead."