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President Akufo-Addo reshuffles finally: See who is in, who is out
President Akufo-Addo is poised to announce his inaugural significant ministerial reshuffle today, Wednesday, February 14, marking the first major overhaul since assuming office in January 2017.
Sources within the Jubilee House, the government’s administrative headquarters, have disclosed this information to JoyNews.
Reports indicate considerable activity on the fourth floor of Jubilee House, where ministers potentially impacted by the reshuffle have been seen, along with other MPs anticipated to benefit from the impending changes.
Approximately 12 current ministers of state, including 10 cabinet ministers and two regional ministers, are likely to be affected by the reshuffle. Notably, several prominent government figures are expected to either lose their positions entirely or undergo significant reassignments.
On Tuesday, February 13, President Akufo-Addo held extensive discussions with ministers and deputy ministers who could be affected, as well as those joining or leaving his administration in the imminent reshuffle.
The Valentine’s Day announcement, expected at 11am, is a major, long-awaited reshuffle that will see some key government members, among them some who have held their posts for the past seven years, exit cabinet altogether, while others assume new roles.
Sources within government tell Myjoyonline.com that calls have since Tuesday night been going through to nominees and casualties to ensure a smooth exercise.
However, the sources speak of a very challenging exercise, as several nominees have been hesitant to accept their new roles, unsure how much of the enormous expectations they can deliver within the limited time left before the tenure of the administration expires.
Below are names and movements confirmed by our sources.
Exiting Government
Ken Ofori-Atta – Finance Minister
Freda Prempeh – Sanitation and Water Resources Minister
Dr. Mohammed Awa – Tourism Minister
Ambrose Dery – The Interior Minister
Dr Kwaku Afriyie – Environment Science, Technology and Innovation Minister
Kwasi Amoako-Attah – Roads and Highways Minister
Kwaku Agyeman Manu – Health Minister
Dan Kwaku Botwe – Local Government Minister
Zuweira Lariba – Gender Minister
New Nominations
Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover – Greater Accra Region
Henry Quartey – The Interior
Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam – Finance
Lydia Alhassan – Sanitation and Water Resources
Andrew Agyepa Mercer – Minister of Tourism
Ophelia Hayford Mensah – Environment Science, Technology and Innovation
Ms Fatimatu Abubakar – Information
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah – Works and Housing
Francis Asenso Boakye – Roads and Highways
Dr Bernard Okoe Boye – Health
Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah – Local Government
Darkoa Newman – Gender
The last government restructuring occurred a month earlier, after the resignations of former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen and Agriculture Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who stepped down to focus on their political campaigns.
Insiders reveal that the forthcoming reshuffle is anticipated to be far-reaching and was strategically postponed to coincide with the conclusion of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential and parliamentary primaries.
The primaries, held on January 27, aimed to shield ministers from potential electoral setbacks while transitioning to new roles, mitigating additional emotional strain.
Originally slated for December, the reshuffle was rescheduled to February post the governing party’s internal elections to preempt unsuccessful candidates from attributing their loss to the president.
Last week, 24 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) were relieved of their duties, with 26 replacements appointed, as part of efforts to reinvigorate local governance.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
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Youth urged to take proactive stance on ozone depletion
•Mr Joseph Amankwah, first counting from, some officials from EPA and UNDP in group picture with the student
Mr Joseph Amankwah, the Director of Ozone Layer and Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has urged the youth to take a proactive stance on issues related to ozone depletion, emphasising that their future would be most affected by its consequences.
Speaking during a student engagement event at the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, he highlighted the critical role young people played in tackling climate-related challenges.
Mr Amankwah explained that human activities, such as the use of certain chemicals, were significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and driving climate change.
He said it was important to educate the youth on these issues, encouraging them to share this knowledge with their families to foster a broader understanding and active participation in climate action.
He urged the education sector to integrate lessons on the ozone layer, the causes of its depletion, and its links to climate change into the curriculum.
The event, organised by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to foster environmental awareness and promote a sense of responsibility among young people.
Mr Amankwah noted that ozone layer depletion was affecting everyone, including children, as it alters weather patterns and threatens the natural environment.
He highlighted the need for young people to develop ‘green skills’ to adapt to the challenges of climate change and to understand ways to combat it.
He added that World Ozone Day, observed every September, would focus on youth engagement in environmental issues, to help them understand the long-term consequences of ozone depletion and climate change.
Mr Amankwah also discussed the harmful impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major chemical contributor to ozone depletion.
He explained that household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners were common sources of CFC emissions in Ghana.
Many uncertified technicians work on these appliances, often releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere due to improper handling, he noted.
To address this, he urged appliance repairers to obtain proper certification and training, emphasising that unqualified repairs not only harm the environment but also endangered public health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman,
Koforidua
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Small-scale miners schooled on health hazards of mining with mercury
Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants
Some Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in the Ashanti and Central regions have been sensitised on the potential health dangers humans are exposed to with the use of mercury in gold processing.
The sensitisation which was organised by PlanetGOLD Ghana project was to raise awareness about the negative impacts on the use of mercury in mining activities.
According to the PlanetGOLD Ghana Project Coordinator, Mr Lovelace Sarpong, the use of mercury in artisanal small-scale mining pose health challenges that affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys; and may be fatal.
Some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that benefited from the exercise were Amansie Central, Asante Akim North, Amansie South, Amansie West, Bekwai, and Adansi North in the Ashanti Region, and Upper Denkyira East (Dunkwa-on-Offin) and Upper Denkyira West (Diaso) in the Central Region.
Additionally, he said inorganic salts of mercury were corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
He stated that the PlanetGOLD Project has conducted several initiatives to raise awareness on reducing mercury exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold mining actors in the country.
It was to promote mercury-free mining practices in line with Ghana’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, support the formalisation of the ASGM sector while advocating the adoption of the CRAFT Code and responsible supply chains, and raise awareness on the availability of mercury-free alternatives.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area Head for Konongo, Mr Dawood Abbas, underscored the importance of government’s environmental regulations and EPA’s role in ensuring compliance within the ASGM sector.
He encouraged miners to prioritise environmental stewardship to gain community trust and secure a Social License to Operate (SLO) and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to enforce its commitments under the Minamata Convention.
BY Cecilia Lagba Yada