The anticipated clash between the Ghana Football Association and Nii Lante Vanderpuye will not come off, at least for now, as President Mahama has, against the expectations and predictions of many, nominated Kofi Adams as the Minister-designate for Sports and Recreation.
Kofi Adams’ appointment, which came via a communique from Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Acting Spokesperson to the President, indicated that the Buem MP will oversee the sector and ensure its development.
The decision by President John Dramani Mahama has triggered conversations in the country, with some questioning why Nii Lante Vanderpuye was passed over for Kofi Adams.
GhanaWeb presents four possible reasons behind this decision by John Mahama:
Regional Balance
The 1992 Constitution mandates the president of the country to ensure some ‘reasonable regional and gender balance’ in the appointment of ministers.
Beyond the constitutional requirement is the political interest matter, which requires the president to ensure that he comes across as a ‘father’ for all. His appointments, therefore, must have a national outlook.
A careful look at the 42 ministerial appointments so far shows that the maximum any region got was four, which are the Volta and Northern Regions.
The Greater Accra Region, which Nii Lante Vanderpuye hails from, had three, and his appointment would have increased it to four.
Prior to Kofi Adams’ nomination, the Oti Region, which he hails from, had only one minister, the regional minister. Kofi Adams has thus become the only sectorial minister from the Oti Region in John Mahama’s government.
Parliamentary Requirement
President Mahama is obligated by the 1992 Constitution to appoint the majority of his ministers from Parliament. The situation is made even more complex by the number of NDC MPs in the ninth parliament, most of whom will be lobbying for positions.
Nii Lante’s exit from Parliament might have affected his chances, as the president had to meet the parliamentary percentage while taking into consideration the regional and gender balance issues. As mentioned earlier, Kofi Adams is the MP for Buem Constituency in the ninth Parliament.
Satisfying the Rawlings Block in NDC
Another key and strategic consideration in the appointment of Kofi Adams was his closeness to the founder of the National Democratic Congress.
The NDC perhaps has three blocks: the Rawlings, Mills, and Mahama blocks. For the sake of unity and internal party politics, John Mahama is somehow obliged to at least try and satisfy each block with his appointments, and that might have swung things in favor of Kofi Adams.
Non-confrontational Leader at Sports Ministry
Another reason, which is purely speculative, is that due to the importance of the 2026 World Cup, President John Mahama wants someone who could dialogue and build a relationship with the Ghana Football Association that will enhance Ghana’s qualification chances.
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