President John Dramani Mahama yesterday swore into office 13 Deputy Ministers of State to assume their duties, indicating that they would be held to the highest standards of accountability as their substantive ministers.
“For each of you who has been appointed as deputy ministers, much is expected from you.
“While your roles as deputy ministers require professional subordination in supporting your substantive ministers, I shall hold you to the same standards of accountability, diligence, hard work and sacrifice for Ghana’s collective success,” the President charged.
A Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reforms, Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, MP, Tempane, was also sworn into office.
It brings to 56 ministers and deputy ministers who have taken office so far in the John Mahama administration.
Swearing in the latest batch of ministerial appointees at the Presidency in Accra, President Mahama said he would by end of this week submit the remainder of the four deputy ministers to Parliament for consideration.
It would be the last nomination to achieve the full compliment of the 60 ministers the President promised during the electioneering campaign.
Recommitting himself to a lean and efficient government, President Mahama said apart from the 56 ministers appointed so far, only 30 persons have been appointed to the presidency to execute important government agenda.
According to him, though his outfit was in the process of appointing supporting staff to the presidency, the number would come “nowhere near” the 336 political appointees at the presidency in the previous regime.
“Our commitment to a lean government is not merely reducing the number of ministerial appointees or reducing the numbers at the presidency. It is grounded in our firm belief that government must exercise fiscal discipline by ensuring that public resources are used efficiently and responsibly,” he stated.
Public funds, President Mahama said must go into investments that benefit the Ghanaian people and those who administer the funds on behalf of the people must not be beneficiaries of same unjustly.
According to President Mahama, the presentation of the budget statement and fiscal policy of government for the year now offers incentives for ministers and their deputies to operate at full throttle to achieve the objectives for which they were appointed.
He tasked the minister of state, Ms Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, to work towards a speedy and optimal reforms in the public services.
The newly sworn in deputy ministers are Thomas Nyarko Ampem, Finance; Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, Interior; Ernest Brogya Genfi, Defence; Dr Clement Abas Apaak, Education; Richard Gyan-Mensah, Energy and Green Transition; and Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, Roads and Highways.
The rest are Justice Srem-Sai, Justice and Attorney-General; Yusif Sulemana, Lands and Natural Resources; Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; Gizella Tettey-Agbotui, Works, Housing and Water Resources, Yussif Issaka Jajah, Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, John Kofi Setor Dumelo, Food and Agriculture and Samson Ahi, Trade, Agribusiness and Industry.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
