President Mills has proved that his government takes the threat posed to its chances in the 2012 election by NPP stalwarts Stephen Asamoah Boateng and Ursula Owusu seriously with the nomination of the Hon. Fritz Baffour and the appointment of Hon. Acquinas Tawiah Quansah in last Wednesday’s cabinet reshuffle.

One time comedian, Hon. Fritz Baffour who is also the MP for Ablekuma South has been nominated by President Mills for appointment to the Information Ministry. Hon Acquinas Tawiah Quansah, was transferred in the latest reshuffle to be Deputy Regional Minister for the Central Region.

Analysts contacted by the Ghanaian Observer (G) newspaper have pointed to a clear intention by President Mills and the NDC to give Stephen Asamoah Boateng and Ursula Owusu good run for their money in the December, 2012 parliamentary election.

Asamoah Boateng has been elected by the NPP to contest Mfantseman West seat. Ursula Owusu has also been elected by the NPP to contest the Ablekuma North seat. Whilst Asamoah Boateng has held the seat before, Ursula Owusu is having a first try for a parliamentary set. Both Asamoah Boateng and Ursula Owusu are two NPP front runners who the NDC and its loyalists love to hate. In Asamoah Boateng’s case he has since 2009 when President Mills assumed office been standing trial alongside eight others including his wife over allegations of breaches of the procurement law.

In the case of Ursula Owusu, a lawyer of no mean achievement, she has been a thorn in the flesh of the Mills-Mahama administration and the NDC at large.

Most NDC supporters and analysts who have done battle with her on the airwaves have resorted in most instances to ad hominem attacks aimed at shutting her up. Her intellectual firepower, logic and delivery make her a formidable force worth preventing, in the view of the Mills-Mahama administration, from getting elected to Parliament.

The Mills-Mahama administration, according to analysts think that the making of Fritz Baffour and Acquinas Tawiah Quansah as Minister and Deputy Regional Minister respectively, particularly in the case of the latter, will be an attraction for regaining the seats in Ablekuma North and Mfantseman respectively.

The situation at Mfantseman West is a fluid one and it is believed that the Mills-Mahama administration wants the NDC to retain that seat at all coast to retire Asamoah Boateng from a parliamentary career; even if the government does not get re-elected.

The NDC’s electoral fortunes at an area like Dansoman, which is a very crucial part of the Ablekuma South constituency has clearly dipped over the slipshod manner the government has handled the Dansoman high street which has been under rehabilitation since the government assumed office.

Fritz Baffour draws support worth noting from the low end of the social strata in the Ablekuma South constituency. He relates and identifies more with for example the fisherfolk in that constituency; who did the magic for him in winning the 2008 election.

As to whether his comedy background will betray him in a serious position as Minister of Information is yet to be seen. On any good day, the well spoken and wise cracking Fritz Baffour is fit and able to hold his corner in any discussion. As to whether, his comedy background will lead to a perception problem for him in his time at the Information ministry is yet to be seen.