US embassy cable - 05ACCRA87

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000087 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2014 
TAGS: ECON, GH, KWMN, PGOV, PINR, PREL, GOG 
SUBJECT: GHANA'S PRESIDENT NAMES MAJORITY OF NEW MINISTERS 
 
 
Classified By: PolChief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.5 d and e. 
 
1.  (C)  Summary.  On January 12, President Kufuor nominated 
24 ministers, as well as regional ministers for the ten 
regions of Ghana.  Among other changes, he proposes shifting 
the Finance and Women and Children's portfolios, dropping the 
Energy Minister, and retaining the Ministers of Foreign 
Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs, and Defense.  He has made 
minor changes in the structure of the ministries.  Meeting 
with mixed local reactions, these nominations suggest general 
continuity for U.S. interests in Ghana and retain in the 
Cabinet the major NPP party contenders for the presidency in 
2008. End summary. 
 
2.  (U)  On January 12, President John Kufuor nominated the 
following ministers to parliament for vetting and approval 
(no deputy minister have yet been named): 
 
J.H. Mensah - Senior Minister 
Kwadwo Baah Wiredu - Minister for Finance and Economic 
Planning 
Yaw Osafo-Maafo - Minister of Education and Sports 
Kwame Addo Kufuor - Minister of Defense 
Ayikoi Otoo - Attorney General 
Courage Quarshigah - Minister of Health 
Mike Oquaye - Minister of Energy 
Papa Owusu Ankomah - Minister of Interior 
Nana Addo Dankway Akufo-Addo - Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Charles Bintim - Minister of Local Government and Rural 
Development 
Dominic K. Fobih - Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines 
Ernest K. Debrah - Minister of Food and Agriculture 
Gladys Asmah - Minister of Fisheries 
Hajia Alima Mahama - Minister of Women and Children,s Affairs 
Hackman Owusu Agyemang - Minister of Works and Housing 
Alan Kyeremanteng - Minister of Trade and Industry 
Dan Botwe - Minister of Information 
Jake Obotsobi Lamptey - Minister of Tourism and Modernization 
of the Capital City 
Albert Kan Dapaah - Minister of Communications 
Feliz Owusu Adjapong - Minister of Parliamentary Affairs 
Kwabena Bartels - Minister of Private Sector Development and 
Presidential Special                Initiatives (PSI) 
Ameyaw Akumfi - Minister of Harbors and Railway 
Richard Anane - Minister of Road Transport 
Joseph K. Adda - Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment 
Christine Churcher - Minister of Environment, Science and 
Technology 
 
Many Surprises 
-------------- 
 
3.  (C)  The nomination list held many surprises.  Most 
observers expected former Finance Minister Yaw Osfo Maafo to 
retain his portfolio (he was switched to Education and 
Sports).  The nominations for Attorney General, Information, 
Local Government, Health and Manpower were not the candidates 
most widely expected.  The retention of Defense Minister 
Kwame Addo Kufuor, the President's brother, was unexpected 
and reportedly has been very badly received by some in the 
military, who see him as ineffective.  Minister of 
Parliamentary Affairs Adjapong was unpopular with many 
Members of Parliament and his retention could sour relations 
between parliament and the executive.  The Minister of Road 
Transport has been tainted by alleged scandals and his 
retention is a surprise.  Kufuor dropped several high profile 
Cabinet Ministers, including former Energy Minister Nduom 
(who is not of the President's NPP party), Works and Housing 
Minister Idris Ali, Health Minister Afriyie, and Local 
Government Minister Adej-Darko. 
 
Bureaucratic Changes 
-------------------- 
 
4.  (U)  In addition to the nominations, the President has 
reorganized some of his ministries.  The Ministry of Mines 
has been absorbed into the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and 
Mines (this ministry has been placed in different ministries 
over the years.)  The Youth portfolio has been shifted from 
Education, Youth and Sports to Manpower, Youth and 
Employment.  Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI) was moved 
from the Ministry of Trade to the Ministry of Private Sector 
Development.  Ports has been dropped from the former Ministry 
of Ports, Harbors and Railways. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
5.  (C)  The initial reaction to the nominations, on the 
radio talk shows and among our contacts, has been mixed.  The 
President seems to be rewarding loyalty, long-term party 
stability, ethnicity (16 of 24 new nominees are ethnic Akans) 
and, to some degree, competence.   He is also broadening the 
leadership experience at the top.  He has retained in 
prominent portfolios some of the most serious presidential 
contenders for 2008 from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) 
-- Osafo-Maafo, Akufo-Addo, Kyeremanteng, Vice President Aliu 
Mahama, and new Energy Minister Oquaye -- without tipping the 
balance toward any one of them.   He changed some of his 
priority portfolios (Finance, Education, Health, Agriculture) 
but kept others the same (Foreign Affairs, Defense, Private 
Sector Development, and infrastructure ministries).  There 
are no ethnic Dagomba ministers, which should prevent 
aggravating the intra-Dagomba rivalries in the Northern 
Region.  Kufuor's choice for Regional Minister of the 
Northern Region, Boniface Saddique, will also be a neutral 
factor in promoting peace in this volatile area.  As a Gonja 
tribesman, his selection will not inflame the Dagomba 
chieftaincy dispute, although he may be subject to pressures 
for Gonja autonomy.  With a long civil service career and as 
one of the NPP's few parliamentarians from the Northern 
Region, Saddique seems well suited to his new position. 
There are only three female nominees, one more than before, 
but the small number has already generated negative 
commentary.  Changes in the bureaucratic structure may be an 
effort to streamline government (several portfolios have not 
been announced, such as NEPAD.)  Most of the President's 
nominations are likely to be confirmed by parliament, 
although vetting may take several weeks. 
 
6.  (C)  The retention of Foreign Minister Akufo-Addo 
promises broad continuity for U.S. interests in Ghana.  New 
Finance Minister-designate Wiredu is well regarded and highly 
qualified and is likely to continue with the GOG's economic 
reforms, although some question his abilities to manage such 
a large ministry.  Wiredu has been cooperative and personable 
in Mission dealings with him.  The Governor of the Bank of 
Ghana, who has significant influence over GOG economic policy 
and will remain in office, told PolChief January 11 that his 
priority remains continuing with reforms and increasing 
growth.  The former Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, 
who proved a major obstacle in moving a bill on trafficking 
in persons to parliament, has been shifted to Fisheries.  The 
new minister is well regarded by many contacts in civil 
society.  New Energy Minister Oquaye, formerly Ghana's 
Ambassador to India and a Political Science professor, has no 
energy background and is unlikely to make major initial 
policy changes.  The former Attorney General, who was 
unhelpful in breaking the deadlock on the TIP bill and who 
caused problems for us in resolving Westel, has been 
nominated for Interior.  His replacement, a reputed lawyer 
with no political experience, is a relative unknown. 
Continuity at the Communications Ministry suggests there may 
not be much change in the GOG's approach to the Westel 
dispute.  Our civair sources believe there may be a new, 
separate ministry handling civil aviation, although it is 
unclear how this might affect our civair interests. 
 
 
YATES