Friday,
January 18, 2013
President
Mahama has begun forming his government, appointing all manner of personalities
to Ministries and not narrowing the scope down to only those widely recognized
as die-hard NDC functionaries. He has given us the chance to know how he is
dismantling the government machinery that he presided over in his care-taker
capacity and rebuilding it now as the substantive President of Ghana.
Forget
about the NPP’s lawsuit against his legitimacy as the winner of Election 2012.
Life must go on.
His
moves open a window through which to take a sneak peek at what he intends to do
to carve a niche for himself as a youthful, dynamic, and astute leader.
One fact is clear. In
making these appointments, President Mahama has demonstrated maturity because
they cut across the various areas of interest: regional and gender balance;
calibre of appointees; retention and discarding of former appointees,
re-designation of Ministries; elevation of former Deputy Ministers to full
Ministerial status; exclusion of “babies with sharp teeth” and “evil dwarfs” and
many more. He seems to be poised to form a team that he trusts to help him
accomplish his goals.
By these
appointments, we can see President Mahama making a good political move to shape
and shave his administration to suit his agenda for the country.
We look forward to
more appointments at the Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial levels. What we don’t
expect is a bloated government. I advise President Mahama not to rush to create
new Ministries just for the sake of “job-for-the-boys,” which will end up
bloating government portfolios. I expect him to shrink his administration to a
manageable scope so as to reduce expenditure and make governance less cumbersome.
Previous
situations where Rawlings and Kufuor created more than 80 portfolios and filled
them with all manner of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Special Assistants to
Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Liaison Officers, and many other analogous portfolios
shouldn’t be replicated.
Regional Balance
So far, the list of
appointees suggests that the President has brought on board Ghanaians from different
geographical parts of the country and diverse ethnic extractions. Although some
have been quick to criticize him for leaning toward those from Northern Ghana,
I don’t think that the primary motivation for making those appointments is
nepotism. The President must be looking for competence and efficiency as the
guiding principles and attractive qualities in those he has chosen to work with.
Feminine Factor
So far, the President’s
list of 7 appointees includes females among the appointees, which isn’t bad at
this stage. Although males dominate, the gender balance that we see in the
appointments is encouraging. We expect more to be given responsibilities to
confirm that the government is balanced in its dealings.
Elevation of Deputies to Status of Substantive Ministers
One significant feature of these appointments
is the elevation of former Deputy Ministers to substantive Ministerial status. Among
them are Mrs. Dzifa Attivor, Seth Terkper, Elvis
Afriyie-Ankrah, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, and Dr. Edward Omane Boamah.
This elevation is
heart-warming because it proves that the appointees have learnt useful lessons
with which to enhance governance in their various portfolios.
Removal of Former Ministers/Deputy Ministers
The exclusion of
Ministers and Deputy Ministers in the Mills administration isn’t strange. After
all, it is to be expected that a new king will definitely come with new laws.
However, some of
them, such as Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and Haruna Iddrissu have been mentioned as
those President Mahama should by now have re-engaged. We don’t yet know what
lies ahead but will not have the need to lose any sleep if they are sidelined
for reasons best known to the President.
Others such as
Alban-Bagbin, Alhaji Mumuni, Joe Gidisu, etc. may easily come to mind, but they
haven’t yet been re-assigned, which is nobody’s cup of tea.
The
only issue that some critics may raise is why Ofosu-Ampofo would be removed
from that Ministry, having performed well there to warrant being retained. But
the President knows better.
“Old” Ministers Retained
The President also
retained 9 former Ministers who had worked under him and his predecessor but
has re-assigned them for reasons best known to him. These can be said to have
learnt the ropes and need no lecture on government business.
We hope they will use
their acumen to improve governance and not for serving self-interests.
Among them are: Emmanuel Armarh Kofi Buah, Ms. Hanny-Sherry
Ayittey, Nii Armah Ashietey, Clement Kofi Humado, Hannah Tetteh, Alhaji Amin
Sulemana, Alhaji Collins Dauda, Mahama Ayariga,
and Dr. Oteng Adjei. It is just a matter of musical
chairs—their being moved around to new domains.
Of all the appointments in this category, that
of Mr. Emmanuel Armarh Kofi Buah, Minister-designate for Energy and Petroleum, is
interesting, especially if we consider the warning given by the chiefs and
people of the Western Region yesterday to the effect that they would prefer “only
a son from the Western Region” to be in charge of the oil sector.
Even though he can't single-handedly solve the
problems that prompted the chief's baring their teeth, he can at least be seen
as a source of relief. It means President Mahama has listened to (and
respected?) the wishes of those chiefs and people. A very good political
manouevre for goodwill?
Absence
of “Babies with Sharp Teeth” and “Evil Dwarfs”
Conspicuously absent so far are names of those
generally regarded as “babies
with sharp teeth” and “evil dwarfs” (apologies to JJ Rawlings), who did the “trench
war” to cut the government’s opponents to size in the internecine wordy warfare
that characterized the pre-Election 2012 period.
One may be wondering why the
President should exclude them, although he is not compelled to retain them in
their various capacities as Ministers, Deputy Ministers, or Presidential Staff.
I may have a good explanation for it.
May be, President Mahama wants to give his administration a “facelift,”
to prove that his approach to governance will be more refined than what
characterized the previous one. Indeed, the “babies with sharp teeth” created a
lot of credibility problems but fought hard to counteract the NDC opponents’
open attacks.
Or he may have something for them
to calm nerves but is not in a hurry to release it. If he doesn’t play his
cards properly, he will incur the anger of their admirers. And they will
definitely begin rocking the boat all too soon to his disadvantage. Any
intra-party bickering over posts all too soon will be dangerous.
I shall return…
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