A NEWS DESK REPORT
Reports as of press time yesterday pointed to the fact that President John Evans Atta Mills has made his last cabinet reshuffle ahead of the 2012 polls.
The reports, which were corroborated by Today sources at the Castle, the seat of government, revealed that the Minister of Health, Joseph Yieleh Chireh; Information Minister, John Akologo Tia, and; Central Regional Minister, Ama Benyiwa Doe, have been relieved of their ministerial positions.
Today established that the Minister of Works and Housing, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, now takes over the Health Ministry, while the MP for Ablekuma South, Hon. Fritz Baffour, heads the Information Ministry.
In the case of the removal of Mr. Yieleh Chireh and Mr. Akologo Tia, Today Castle sources hinted that the president was not impressed with the general performance of the two thus necessitating the termination of their jobs.
“President Mills was compelled to remove Akologo Tia and Yieleh Chireh because their performance at the ministries has been nothing short of woeful,” the sources told Today.
Meanwhile, acting Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Benjamin Kunbour, Today understands, has been confirmed as the substantive Attorney-General. And until his confirmation, Dr. Kunbour was playing the Attorney-General role in an acting capacity.
The Education Ministry, which after Betty Mould-Iddrisu’s resignation was placed under the care of E.T Mensah, has now been given to Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Lee Ocran.
Mr. E.T Mensah has been removed from his Social Welfare and Employment Ministry to Works and Housing Ministry, while Mr. William Kwesi Aboah takes over from Dr. Kunbour as Interior Minister.
The Upper West Region gets Alhaji Amin Sulemana as the new regional Minister while Mr. Dominic Azembe Azumah goes to the Presidency as a Minister of State.
The Member of Parliament for Mfantseman West, Mr. Thomas Aquinas, replaces Mrs. Benyiwa-Doe as the Central Regional Minister.
Today can also state that the central regional minister’s removal was deliberate and intended to allow her to square up with the likes of Kwaku Baako Jr., Editor-in- Chief of The New Crusading Guide, and other NPP members who feature on Peace FM and other radio networks especially in Accra.
The president also made a number of Deputy Ministerial appointments.
Deputy Information Minister Baba Jamal swaps places with Deputy Tourism Minister James Agyenim Boateng.
Dr. Omane Boateng is heading to the Ministry of Youth and Sports as a deputy Minister while Mr. Henry Ametepey has been appointed the deputy Volta Regional Minister.
Dr. Mustapha Ahmed replaces Dr. Omane Boamah as the deputy Minister with Nii Nortey Dua going to Water Resources, Works and Housing as a deputy Minister.