President Akufo-Addo swears-in last batch of ministers
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has sworn into office the last batch of 11 ministerial nominees approved by Parliament, charging them to render service in humility and with integrity and to expeditiously declare their assets.
“You must see the opportunity of ministerial appointment as an avenue for service to our people and nation… service which should be discharged with humility. You are here to advance the public interest so you must, therefore, comply to file your asset declaration,” he told his appointees at a short ceremony at the Flagstaff House in Accra on Friday night.
The 11 ministers, sworn into office, are Professor Gyan Baffour, Planning, Catherine Afeku, Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mavis Hawa Koomson, Special Development Initiatives and Awal Ibrahim Mohammed, Business Development.
Others are Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Information, Isaac Kwame Asiamah, Youth and Sports, Kofi Dzamesi, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and Cecilia Dapaah, Aviation.
The rest are Boniface Saddique Abubakar, Inner-city and Zongo Development, Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye, Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader.
With the swearing-in of the last batch of ministers, the President has a full complement of 36 central government ministers to enable him to start the execution of his policies and programmes.
President Akufo-Addo said the Ghanaian people in their generosity conferred a huge mandate and faith in his administration to lead the country to peace, progress and prosperity and “we have to live up to this responsibility and meet their aspirations…history demands that.”
He said: “The Ghanaian people want honest governance, they want a government that will protect the public purse and ensure value for money in all public transactions…We cannot fail them…we must not fail them.”
President Akufo-Addo reminded the ministers that the election that brought the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to power was a clear indication that the people of Ghana, in very emphatic terms, demand a change in the direction of the country.
He said it was, therefore, mandatory that each and every individual appointed to serve in his government provided changes in the quality of governance, management of the economy and attitude.
“This is a heavy responsibility, especially since the Ghanaian people have been clear in very empathic terms demanded a change in the nation’s direction…a change in the quality of governance, a change in the management of the national economy, and a change in national attitude…that is why we are here…that is why they voted for us so overwhelmingly,” he said.
“We are required to fulfil the commitments of our mandate and I’m certain that with God’s guidance, sincerity of purpose, integrity of character, hard work and genuine collaboration, together we shall deliver and honor these commitments from us,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo thanked Parliament for the expeditious manner in which it considered and approved his nominees and urged it to do same with the regional and deputy ministerial nominees.
Prof. Gyan Baffour, on behalf of the ministers, thanked the President for the honour and confidence reposed in them and pledged their unflinching loyalty and support to enable him to realise his vision of transforming the nation.
“We would serve the nation to the best of our ability…and protecting the public purse will be the guiding principle of our being in office,” he said.
The ministers swore the Oaths of Allegiance, Office and Secrecy administered by the President, and received their instruments of Appointment.
Source: GNA