President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday swore into office two Deputy Ministers of State at a brief ceremony at the Castle, Osu.

They were Mr Thomas Broni, a teacher and former MP for Asutifi on the ticket of the Popular Front Party (PFP) during the Third Republic as Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry and Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, a lawyer as Deputy Minister of the Interior.

Both of them swore the oath of allegiance, secrecy and Deputy Ministers of State before President Kufuor presented them with their Instruments of appointment. President Kufuor said they had been appointed to two critical ministries in the country and urged them to live up to expectation by supporting their sector Ministers to perform efficiently and effectively.

He said Mr Asiedu should study the current situation for the maintenance of law and order in the country carefully in order not to use any unlawful means to achieve law and order.

President Kufuor said the country's forests were being depleted through illegal tree felling and activities of chain-saw operators to the detriment of the national development effort; therefore, the new Deputy Minister should endeavour to bring his rich experience to bear on the Ministry to administer the lands and forests efficiently. Present at the ceremony were Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice President and some Ministers of State.