Mahama plans shake-up: Gbevlo, Tony Aidoo others to move?

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Created on Thursday, 17 October 2013 00:00

Mahama plans shake-up: Gbevlo, Tony Aidoo others to move?

17 October 2013

Reeling under intractable weighty challenges arising from the recent protracted election petition contesting his legitimacy coupled with an allegation of pervasive corruption in his administration and the topical astronomical hike in utility prices...

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...President John Mahama is being compelled to reinvigorate his almost one year old administration with a massive shake up in government.

Somewhat different from reshuffles under his predecessors, the President, who in recent times has come under intense firing from senior members of his party for varying and obvious reasons, is said to start his “cleaning up” exercise from the seat of government through to the Ministries, sweeping through some parastatal organizations and ending up with the appointments of some top kingpins of the ruling party to ambassadorial positions.

Highly engrossed with delivering on promises made to Ghanaians in the run-up to the 2012 polls, something that would feature prominently in the 2016 election campaign, President Mahama; also mindful of the nearly one missed year as a result of the election petition is said to be leaving no stone unturned in the remaining three years left, hence has decided to reinforce his administration with much experienced hands.

With the petition storm having been lifted off his head, and in order to make-up for the almost one year lost, President Mahama is expected in the coming days to announce major reforms and introduce new policy initiatives which will also necessitate extensive and a massive reshuffle of his administration between now and the first quarter of next year, sources at the seat of government disclosed to The Al-Hajj.

Among some of the portfolios to be affected our sources reveal include the office of the Chief of Staff, the National Security Advisor, National Security Coordinator’s outfit and the Head of Policy Monitoring and Evaluation at the Presidency.

It is uncertain yet the fate of the Executive Secretary to the President, Dr. Raymond Atuguba, who insiders say is not to be in the best of working relationship with the president’s pal and Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani, and may probably revert to his law faculty contract at Legon and perhaps, combine it with his previous role at the Constitution Review commission now at implementation stages.

But what is certain, this paper can assuredly report is that, the days of Chief of Staff, Prosper Douglas Kwaku Bani; National Security Adviser, Brig. Gen. Joseph Nunoo Mensah; Head of Policy and Evaluation, Dr. Anthony Kwabena Aidoo; National Security Coordinator, Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo Lartey and his two deputies, K. B Dankwa and Kosivi Degbor, at their respective jobs at the presidency are numbered.

These personalities according to impeccable source are to be reassigned. The Chief of Staff, Mr. Prosper Bani, a face representing the Volta region in government and a buddy of the president since their School days at Legon and teaching period at GIJ, whose deprived social relations is said to be bothering, is expected to be shifted to become the President’s Special Advisor on Governmental Affairs, a portfolio once occupied by Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu under Jerry Rawlings regime whiles General Nunoo Mensah also travels to a newly created office as Presidential Advisor on Human Security.

National Security Coordinator, Lt. Col. Gbevlo Lartey and his two deputies, K. B. Dankwa and Kosivi Degbor, this paper is in the know have their Curriculum Vitae presently before the Council of State and according to a ‘bird’s whisper, are being considered for foreign service operations.

In line with the President’s vision and policy, the present Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Unit headed by Dr. Tony Aidoo, a former Deputy Defence Minister under ex-President Rawlings’ regime, is to be done away with as it overlaps the offices of Senior Policy Coordinator, Dr. Sule Gariba, and the outspoken NDC stalwart according to our reliable source has been penciled to be dispatched to The Netherlands as Ghana government’s representative.

It is, however, not yet clear as at press time if the outspoken NDC capo who recently bitterly decried neglect of his office since the death of President Mills who established that office, would take up the new post.

The fate of Director of BNI, Yaw Donkor, is also yet to be established by press time, but other high level officials to be affected by the President’s impending restructuring include, Stanislav Xose Dogbe, presidential Staffer, who is also reported to be generating ‘difficulties’ at the presidency. Our information is that, he is likely to be moved to the Information and Media Relations Ministry as a deputy minister.

Others to be affected by the President’s planned shakeup include Chief Executives and Chairmen and members of Board of parastatal organizations including Cocobod, GNPC, GETFund, Ghana Gas Company, National Communication Authority (NCA) and the National Investment Bank (NIB) among others.

However, four key portfolios political observers are watching with keen and bated breath is board chairmanship position for the GNPC, NCA, Ghana Gas Company and GETFund, presently occupied by able confidantes of the late President Mills and kingpins of the NDC party.

The GNPC and NCA are currently occupied by the revered Ato Ahwoi and the smooth-operator and former National Security capo, Totobi Quakyi whiles Ghana Gas Company and GETFund are headed by Ghana’s longest serving former Finance minister, Dr. Kwesi Botchwey and Dr. Kwabena Adjei, NDC Chairman.

The positions of three Chief Executives who are also influential members of the NDC, Dr. George Sipa Yankey of the Ghana Gas Company, Dr. P.A Kuranchie of the NIB and Mr. Sam Garba of GETFund are also under close ‘surveillance’. This comes on the heels of the axing of another Mills aficionado, Kwame Peprah as SSNIT board chairman by President Mahama.

Meanwhile, economic analysts are whispering that it would be prudent for the number one gentleman, as part of his impending reorganization to consider strengthening the office of the exchequer with at least a tried and tested finance person in the caliber of Fifii Kwetey to partner Minister Seth Tekper.

In a related development, The Al-Hajj is yet to obtain information on the whereabouts of Col. Lawson and Koku Anyidoho, former ADC and Communication Director respectively, to the late President Mills and Dr. Don Arthur, a former Presidential Staffer.

Indeed, this paper can authoritatively confirm the President’s decision to effect changes in his government with Ministers, Deputies and Regional Minister positions tasting some altering.

Source: The Al-Hajj