President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has relieved all his ministerial appointees pending the appointment of new ones. The action is in line with the Presidential Transition Act, Act 845 of 2012.

To this end, all the ministers have presented their handing over notes to the Office of the Administrator General, DGN Online has learnt.

In order not to create any gap that will impede the smooth running of state affairs, as the President begins his second term in office, he has equally appointed some of the outgoing ministers to oversee the affairs of the ministries as the process to nominate substantive ministers receives top priority.

According to a document issued from the Office of the President dated January 8, 2021 and signed by Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, a copy of which had been sighted by DGN Online, some of the former ministers had been tasked to act as representatives of the President in various ministries until the re-composition of a new government.

The President is composing a new government  which is expected to be smaller in size and may see some of the existing ministries merged to produce a desired outcome.

“Pending the re-composition and reorganization of government, I am directed by the President as his representative at the ministry of…

“The directive is in accordance with section 14(5) of the Presidential Transition Act, Act 845 of 2012,” the letter said.
However, the caretaker ministers have been directed not to take decisions involving policy issues, asking them to leave those out for their substantive ministers.

“You are to take note of the provision of section14 (5) which states that you shall not take a decision involving a policy issue,” the letter indicated.

The caretaker ministers, have also been notified to be guided in accordance with earlier memo issued in the latter part of December on issues such as financial commitments, recruitments and contracts in order not to saddle their substantive ministers with unanticipated burdens.