Friday, January 04, 2013

NDC PICKS LEADERS...BETTY BOUNCES BACK



Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com
By William Yaw Owusu 
Friday January 4, 2013.

Information picked up by DAILY GUIDE suggests that Edward Doe Adjaho, current First Deputy Speaker of Parliament has been tipped to replace Justice Joyce Banford Addo as Speaker of next Parliament to be sworn in on Monday.

Doe Adjaho, MP for Ave Avenor in the Volta region beat two other people including highly favoured Ken Dzirasah, former MP for South Tongu in the Volta region to the position.

According to NDC sources, the position of First Deputy Speaker is going to Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni, MP elect for Kumbungu in the Northern region and outgoing Minister for Foreign Affairs with People’s National Congress (PNC) lone MP in the Parliament, Alhassan Azong as the Second Deputy Speaker

The PNC Member of Parliament for Builsa North and Minister of State at the Presidency is from the Upper East region.

The Majority Leader and Leader of Government business, is Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, outgoing Minister of Justice and Attorney General is bouncing back into Parliament as MP elect from the newly created Nandom Constituency in the Upper West.

His deputy is Alfred Agbesi, MP for Ashaiman from the Volta region, Majority Whip position goes to Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, MP for Asawase from the Northern region. 

Reports suggest that President John Dramani Mahama has also penciled Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu for Attorney General Minster of Justice as his next Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

It is believed that the current Minister Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni would take up the position in Parliament.

The likely appointment of Mrs. Mould Iddrisu, who served as Education Minister as well, forms part of effort by the President to recognize the contribution of women to the success of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

However she is coming with a baggage of paying the GHC51.2million to NDC financier Alfred Agbesi Woyome who had no contract with the State among other controversial judgment debt scandals. 
 
Other women being considered for appointments are Benita Okitiy Dua, the newly-elected MP for Ledzokuku who might be Minister of Women and Children Affairs at the expense of Juliana Azumah Mensah.

Dzifa Ativor, a deputy Minister of Transport as well as Moses Asaga, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare who is a personal friend of the President are likely to be retained.

A source at the Castle said that the President is determined to ensure “a significant shift” in his appointments.”

“New faces as well as young people are also being considered by the President,” the source added. 

It is rumoured that, current ministers including E.T. Mensah at Works and Housing, Fritz Baffuor of Information, Dr Joe Oteng Agyei of Energy, Alex Asum-Ahensan of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mike Hammah of Lands Forestry and Natural Resources and even Dr. Kwabena Dufuor of Finance and Economic Planning are not likely to be re-appointed.

In Dr. Dufuor’s case, his deputy Seth Terkpe, Dr. Samuel Cadman Mills brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills and Alhassan Andani of Stanbic Bank have all been rumoured to be considered by the President.

Regional Ministers like Ama Benyiwa Doe (Central), Paul Evans Aidoo (Western), Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo (Brong Ahafo) and Moses Bukari Mabengba might not be considered for re-appointments.

Deputy Ministers like Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of Information, Fifi Kwetey of Finance, Baba Jamal of Tourism are said to be on their way out of their positions to enable them concentrate on their parliamentary work.

Spokesman for NDC founder Former President Jerry John Rawlings, Kofi Adams would get ministerial for the support given to the Mahama campaign.

Already, a group has started lobbying the leadership of the party to get Mr. Adams to contest the Buem seat which has been left behind by the sudden death of Volta Regional Minister Henry Ford Kamel and analysts believe that would help him to get more recognition.

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