President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday nominated 17 additional ministers for the consideration of Parliament for appointment as ministers in his administration.
The seventeen, made up of three regional ministers, brings the total of regional ministerial nominees to 16.
The Tuesday announced nominations also bring the total number of ministerial nominees by President Mahama to 42 as of now.
The list is made up of seven women out of the 42 and 24 members of Parliament out of the 42.
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The 1992 Constitution States that the Majority of ministerial appointments shall be from Parliament.
Reduction of Ministries from 29 to 23 in Civil Service restructuring
President Mahama two days after taking office, on January 9, 2025, announced a reduction in the number of government ministries, cutting them from 29 to 23, as part of an administrative restructuring initiative aimed at enhancing efficiency and streamlining government operations.
The re-organisation was formalised through the Civil Service (Ministries) Instrument, 2025 (E.I. 1), signed by President Mahama on January 9, 2025.
The Executive Instrument outlined the newly established ministries and revoked the previous arrangement under the Civil Service (Ministries) Instrument, 2021 (E.I. 12).
The instrument was made in exercise of the power conferred on the President under section 11(3) of the Civil Service Act, 1993 (P.N.D.C.L. 327).
3 ministers of state for new responsibilities
President Mahama per the list announced on Tuesday has introduced three new responsibilities by nominating three ministers for Special Initiatives, Government Communications and Climate Change and Sustainability
President Mahama in the new arrangement revoked the following ministries including Information.
Information
National Security
Parliamentary Affairs
Railway Development
Sanitation and Water Resources
Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs [Has been added to Local Government]
Public Enterprises
Per the list of nominees announced on Tuesday, President Mahama named Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum (MP) as a Minister of State in Charge of Special Initiatives, Felix Kwakye Ofosu (MP) in charge of Government Communications and Issifu Seidu (MP) as a Minister of State in charge of Climate Change and Sustainability.
See list of President Mahama’s 42 ministerial nominees as of now, made up of 7 women and 24 MPs
Third batch of nominations
Dr Edward Omane Boamah – Defence
Samuel Nartey George (MP) – Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (MP) – Lands and Natural Resources
Kofi Iddie Adams (MP) – Sports and Recreation
Abdul-Rashind H. Pelpuo (MP) – Labour, Jobs and Employment
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh (MP) – Health
Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed (MP) – Environment, Science and Technology
Joseph Bukari Nikpe (MP) - Transport
Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak (MP) – Interior
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP) – Foreign Affairs
Adjei Kenneth Gilbert – Works, Housing and Water Resources
Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum (MP) – Minister of State in Charge of Special Initiatives
Felix Kwakye Ofosu (MP) – Government Communications
Issifu Seidu (MP) – Minister of State, Climate Change and Sustainability
Second batch of nominations
Kwame Governs Agbodza (MP) – Roads and Highways
Eric Opoku (MP) – Food and Agriculture
Agnes Naa Momo Lartey (MP) – Gender, Children and Social Protection
Abla Dzifa Gomashie (MP) – Tourism Culture and Creative Arts
Emelia Arthur (MP) – Fisheries and Aquaculture
George Opare-Addo – Youth and Empowerment
Haruna Iddrisu (MP) - Education
Ahmed Ibrahim (MP) – Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs
Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare (MP) – Trade, Agribusiness and Industry
First batch
Dr Cassiel Ato Forson (MP) – Finance
John Abdulai Jinapor (MP) – Energy and Green Transition
Dominic Akuritinga Ayine (MP) – Attorney-General and Minister of Justice
Regional Ministers
Puozuing Charles Lwanga – Upper West
Joseph Addae Akwaboa – Bono
Francis Owusu Antwi – Bono East
Wilbert Petty Brentum – Western North
Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere – Central
Joseph Nelson – Western
Ali Adolf John – Northern
John Kwadwo Gyapong – Oti
James Gunu – Volta
Mrs Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey – Eastern
Ibrahim Tia – North East
Dr Frank Amoakohene – Ashanti
Akamugri Donatus Atanga – Upper East
Charity Gardiner – Ahafo
Salisu Be-Awuribe – Savannah
Linda Ocloo (MP) – Greater Accra
In the new arrangement, President Mahama has created a new ministry for Youth Development and Empowerment.
This has been done by removing Youth from Sports, and making it stand alone as Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment.
Sports has a new name with Recreation added to it - Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has been added to Local Government - Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.
President Mahama has also highlighted Green Transition and added it to the name of Energy - Ministry of Energy and Green Transition.
Innovation has also been removed from Environment, Science, and Technology and added to the Ministry of Communications with the new name, Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations.
President Mahama has committed to maintaining a lean government with only 60 ministers, even as thousands of hopeful candidates have submitted their CVs for consideration.
