A deputy CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Linda Boamah Asante
A Deputy CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Linda Boamah Asante —appointed by President Akufo-Addo in 2022—has been retained under the current NDC administration despite being a political appointee.
Three years ago, Linda Asante was appointed Deputy CEO of the NPA by then-President Akufo-Addo, pursuant to Section 49(1) of the National Petroleum Authority Act, 2005 (Act 691), alongside Perry Okudzeto.
Perry Okudzeto, who was appointed at the same time as Linda Asante, has since exited the Authority following the assumption of office by President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
However, Linda Boamah Asante is reported to have maneuvered her way into being retained in the role of Director of Inspections, Monitoring and Health, Safety and Environment (IM&HSE) at the NPA, allegedly with the backing of Chief of Staff Julius Debrah.
Despite having accepted a political appointment from President Akufo-Addo in February 2022—an appointment later confirmed by the Governing Board of the NPA—Linda Asante is said to still be in office.
She is reportedly affiliated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), even prior to her 2022 appointment, and is known to have close ties with former President Akufo-Addo and former Energy Minister Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, among other key figures in the previous administration.
The acting CEO of the NPA, Godwin Tamakloe, is said to be aware of her continued stay in office, having led the internal restructuring that facilitated her retention.
This development comes amid growing internal agitations within the NDC regarding the continued tenure of other appointees from the Akufo-Addo era, including Martin Ayisi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Minerals Commission (MinCom), as well as other figures at the Ghana Airports Company and the Food and Drugs Authority.
Ayisi, like Linda Asante, is a known NPP affiliate and served as a member of the party’s 2017 transition team. He was appointed to lead the Minerals Commission at a time when Ghana’s mining sector was heavily grappling with the challenge of illegal mining, commonly referred to as “Galamsey.”
