A Reshuffle Is Long Overdue, Mr. President

Cabinet reshuffle, as we all know, is the sole preserve of the President, as it is with all other political appointments. And naturally, with the powers vested in him by the constitution to hire and fire, he needs no form of coercion to remove or reshuffle his cabinet.

But when his package of appointees are perceived, through their actions and inactions, to be making the government unpopular, a suggestion can be made to the man who appointed them to, as a matter of urgency, take a second look at the conduct of his men, whether or not they can take the nation to the ‘Promised Land’, as he (the President) had envisioned.

Barely one year after composing his team, has it appeared that many of President Akufo-Addo’s appointees are either too keen on abrogating existing contracts, or simply overzealous in their bid to catch public attention.

This has created unnecessary tension and acrimony all over the place, coupled with allegations of corruption and naked graft. In other cases, there are reports of bullfights between CEOs and Board members in several government parastatals.

For instance, the apparent cover-up at the Ministry of Communications regarding the Kelni-GVG contract is nothing to write home about. The same goes for the unsatisfactory explanation for the over $1billion National Identification Authority (NIA) commitment for national identity cards for Ghanaians.

Equally unpalatable is the unnecessary heat at the Ghana Ports and Habours over the intended abrogation of two existing contracts there.

At the Energy Ministry alone, there has been an unending cacophony at the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) about fuel contamination and sales, disquiet at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) over a proposed Tank Farm idea, and lately, red armbands flying over a certain Cylinder Recirculation Model.

As if these are not enough, Ghanaians are now being told that the noise the New Patriotic Party (NPP) oil/legal experts made since 2016 over the $510 million Ameri Deal was nothing but hot air.

Equally stinking and embarrassing are the reports from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Special Development Initiatives, Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, and some Regional Coordinating Councils.

Also worthy of mention are the nasty information from COCOBOD, Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited, Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), etc.

Is it surprising that, Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia had to admonish Members of Parliament (MPs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) over tensions and conflicts between them?

THE PUBLISHER finds it amazing that the President has accommodated the glaringly vexatious and seemingly greedy deeds of some of his appointees for nearly sixteen months.

The paper is of the view that, while some of his appointees are ordinary square pegs in round holes that can be shifted to more appropriate areas, others are mere misfits that must be dropped as a matter of urgency.

Doing that does not necessarily mean the President is high-handed on his appointees. It will rather send the right signals to the rest that they are not indispensable.

Let the heads roll, Mr. President.