President Mahama makes four key appointments

President John Dramani Mahama has appointed four persons to occupy positions at the Presidency.

They are Prosper Douglas Kweku Bani as Chief of Staff, Roger Kwesi Angsomwine as Secretary to Cabinet, Dr. Raymond Akongburo Atuguba as Executive Secretary to the President and Dr. Sulley Gariba as Senior Policy Co-ordinator in the Office of the President.

This was confirmed in a statement issued by the President’s spokesman John Jinapor today January 8, 2013.

For the orderly conduct of Government business in the period before Ministers of State are appointed to head Government Ministries, and in the spirit of the Transition Act, the statement said President Mahama has also designated the various substantive Ministers, including Regional Ministers, whose tenure of office expired at midnight on the 6th of January 2013, in caretaker positions of the various Ministries and Regions they previously occupied.

In the case of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General’s Department, and in accordance with the Transition Act, the Solicitor-General shall be in charge of the Ministry, the statement added.

Also non-careeer Ambassadors and High Commissioners have been asked to continue in office in a caretaker position.

The statement indicated that in accordance with the Transition Act, persons appointed as caretakers “shall not take a decision involving a policy issue”.

President Mahama began his four-year term mandate after January 7, 2013.

By Ekow Quandzie