A Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has dismissed media reports of an imminent reshuffle by President Mills as pure speculation.
The Statesman reported that President John Evans Atta Mills is beginning the New Year with a new, hopefully enhanced team to pursue his promise that 2011 will be ‘a year of action.’ According to Ghana’s Oldest Mainstream newspaper, the list, of what is being termed ‘Action List’, is expected to be made public before January 7, 2011.
The newspaper further disclosed that lobbying has intensified as Ministers get wind of their pending delisting and backbenchers and others seek to get the President to change his mind and add their names to the Action List.
This major shake-up will affect some of the key areas, including the Office of the Chief of Staff, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Youth and Sports.
But speaking on Peace FM News, Mr. Ablakwa said the Statesman Newspaper only took a wild guess with its report about the President’s alleged intended reshuffle, stressing that Professor Mills has not informed any member of his government about any forthcoming reshuffle.
According to him, before any reshuffle, the President meets with the people he intends to reshuffle and interacts with them, but till date no such thing has been done by the President.
“The newspaper named about five people for the position of Chief of Staff; this shows that they are not even sure of themselves. Reshuffling is only President Mills’ prerogative so we need to wait; if this will happen, it will be so. I am not sure anybody has seen anything. Everything is in the presidents head, once he has not called those he will reshuffle and thanked them for their contribution to the development and congratulate the newly to be appointed ones, it is only a guess,” he explained.
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