Hon Ernest Brogya Genfi has bid an emotional farewell to the Ministry of Defence on Friday, September 4, 2026, closing out his tenure as Deputy Minister for Defence as he moves to the Presidency to take up a new role as Presidential Adviser on National Resilience and Emergency Preparedness.
The farewell ceremony, held at the Ministry of Defence, marked the formal end of Brogya Genfi’s time in the defence portfolio following President Mahama’s August 26 reassignment, part of a broader round of ministerial changes that also saw Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo moved to Special Initiatives and Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum shifted to the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Job Creation.
A Ceremony of Reflection and Gratitude
Hon Brogya Genfi used the occasion to reflect on what he described as monumental achievements during his time at the Ministry, addressing colleagues across the defence establishment directly in a social media post following the event.
He singled out Defence Minister Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, whom he referred to as his “big brother,” alongside the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Chief Director and Management, the Service Chiefs, and the Chief of Staff at General Headquarters, thanking each for what he called their steadfast support and professionalism throughout his tenure.
He described being moved by a token gift presented to him at the ceremony, saying it symbolised shared appreciation for the work accomplished together. “I am deeply touched by the token gift presented to me, which symbolizes the appreciation of the work we accomplished together,” he wrote.
Carrying Forward the Lessons of the MoD
Hon. Brogya Genfi framed his departure not as a clean break but as a transition carrying forward what he learned during his time overseeing defence affairs.
“As I move into my new responsibilities, I carry with me the lessons, discipline, and camaraderie of the MoD and the GAF,” he said, signalling continuity between his defence background and the emergency preparedness portfolio he now takes up at the Presidency.
A Tenure That Included the Corridor Clearing Mission
Hon Brogya Genfi served as Deputy Minister for Defence since his appointment in March 2025, a tenure that included the period during which the Ghana Armed Forces undertook the large-scale operation to clear the right of way for the Accra-Kumasi Expressway.
He remained in the Defence Ministry through the appointment of Kenneth Gilbert Adjei as substantive Defence Minister earlier in August, working alongside the new minister during a transitional period at the institution.
His reassignment took immediate effect under a statement signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, as part of the wider reshuffle announced on August 26.
Questions That Accompanied the Move
Hon Brogya Genfi’s reassignment drew scrutiny in political circles at the time it was announced, given his standing as one of the more visible emerging figures within the governing National Democratic Congress.
He had served diligently in the defence portfolio while largely staying out of public controversy, a track record that fuelled speculation about the reasoning behind his removal from the ministry.
Some reporting at the time pointed to considerations of regional balance within the country’s defence leadership, noting that the newly appointed Defence Minister and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong, are both from the Ashanti Region, as is Brogya Genfi himself.
Other accounts referenced claims that Brogya Genfi had been lobbying to become substantive Defence Minister following the death of Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah in the August 2025 helicopter crash, though none of that speculation was addressed directly in his farewell remarks.
A New Chapter at the Presidency
Hon Brogya Genfi’s new role places him within the Office of the President with responsibility for national resilience and emergency preparedness, a portfolio that will draw on the institutional experience gained through his time overseeing aspects of Ghana’s defence establishment.
His farewell remarks made no mention of the speculation surrounding his reassignment, focusing instead on gratitude toward his former colleagues and confidence in what he described as the lessons and camaraderie he carries into the new assignment.
With the reshuffle now fully implemented across the Defence Ministry, Special Initiatives and the Labour Ministry, attention turns to how Brogya Genfi’s emergency preparedness role takes shape at the Presidency in the weeks ahead.
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