Dr. Alidu Seidu, Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana, has revealed that the resignation of cabinet ministers will distract government business.
According to him, Ministries whose Ministers have resigned, will struggle with transition processes to get replacements and also disrupt gains made in those ministries prior to the resignation of the ministers.
Currently, two ministers seeking to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as its flagbearer for the 2024 general elections, have resigned from the Akuffo Addo led government. Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremanten, submitted his resignation to the President last week while the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, did same early this week.
“They are distractions in the sense that there is so much attention focused on the cabinet ministers who are resigning their posts and there is going to be a little bit of transition challenges in those particular ministries. A caretaker minister will have to be appointed to act up to a point until the president finds a replacement and sometimes getting a replacement who is not a deputy minister distracts government business.
“These people who were working in government as ministers were also a bit distracted because their attention was divided between executing their electoral campaigns and also helping the government and the party to succeed. In cases like that, it is usually a thin balance between prosecuting your personal campaign as a potential flagbearer but also helping and supporting government business.”
Dr Seidu
The lecturer, however, expressed optimism that if committed and competent people are appointed as replacements, the effects of the distractions won’t be widespread.
“When you look at what is happening now, it will distract government business a little bit but at the end of the day, if new ministers are appointed to take over, and they settle in very well, then government business will take precedence.”
Dr Alidu
Resign If You Want To Contest NPP Presidential Primaries
Meanwhile, a pro-NPP youth group in the Upper West Region has advised all government appointees seeking to contest the upcoming presidential primaries of the party to resign.
The group noted that the resignation will prevent such aspirants from using state resources to fund their campaigns and also promote healthy competition among all the NPP flag-bearer hopefuls.
Speaking at a press conference in Wa, the convener of the group, Ahmed Marzuk, commended the former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen for his decision to resign and asked all appointees interested in the race to emulate the gesture.
“We would like to use this medium to urge all current ministers and party members holding other portfolios in government who intend to run for the NPP flagbearer position to follow the example of Alan and resign.”
Mr Ahmed
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto also stepped down to focus on his presidential ambition. He will be challenged for the flagbearer slot by Mr Kyerematen who declared his intention to contest the flagbearership position on Tuesday January 10.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and NPP firebrand Kennedy Agyepong are also rumoured to be interested in the presidential slot of the NPP.
Former General Secretary of NPP, Kwabena Agyepong is also likely to contest for the flagbearership slot of the party ahead of the 2024 elections.
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