Dr Raymond Atuguba
President John Dramani Mahama, within 24-hours of taking office, has started making appointments to key portfolios in his new government, dismissing some appointees of his predecessor, former President Atta Mills of blessed memory.
A statement issued from the President’s Office, Tuesday afternoon, noted that Dr. Raymond Akongburo Atuguba, Executive Secretary of the defunct Constitution Review Commission, has been appointed the Executive Secretary to the President. He takes over from J.K. Bebaako-Mensah.
Dr Atuguba, a lecturer at the Law Faculty of the University of Ghana, is the lawyer to Bernard Mornah, PNC General Secretary, in the suit filed against the Attorney General regarding some aspects of the country’s electoral laws.
The statement, signed by Presidential Spokesperson, Abdulai John Jinapor, said Prosper Douglas Kweku Bani had been appointed the Chief of Staff. He takes over from Henry Martey Newman.
Mr. Kweku Bani, 54, is a senior manager and specialist in international peace building and development processes.
He has for over 15 years led innovative processes in peace and development with the United Nations in several locations, world-wide.
Roger Kwesi Angsomwine has also been appointed Secretary to Cabinet.
Mr. Angsomwine was hitherto the Chief Director at the Presidency. He takes over from Benjamin Clement Eghan, a retired civil servant.
President Mahama has also appointed Dr. Sulley Gariba as the Senior Policy Co-ordinator in the Office of the President.
Dr. Gariba was the Development Policy Advisor at the Office of the President and his new appointment is an elevation.
Dr. Gariba is a leading member of the People’s National Convention (PNC) and was actually being touted as a flag-bearer for the party in 2008.
Dr. Gariba made headlines when he publicly endorsed the presidential candidature of John Mahama in the 2012 campaign and DAILY GUIDE has gathered the two were mates during their secondary school days.
Dr. Gariba, a businessman, was also the Policy Advisor for the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).
The statement also noted that the President had directed the various substantive ministers, including regional ministers, whose tenure of office expired at midnight on the 6th of January 2013, to temporarily remain in office but take note that they were occupying caretaker positions for the various ministries and regions they previously occupied.
This arrangement is for the orderly conduct of Government business in the period before Ministers of State are appointed to head Government Ministries, and in the spirit of the Transition Act, the statement noted.
It also said that in the case of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General’s Department, and in accordance with the Transition Act, the Solicitor-General “shall be in charge of the Ministry”.
“Additionally, and also in accordance with the Transition Act, non-career ambassadors and High Commissioners appointed by the President, are also to continue in office in a caretaker position.
“Finally, in accordance with the Transition Act, the persons appointed as caretakers “shall not take a decision involving a policy issue,” it said.
This directive contradicts the earlier order which asked the ministers to hand over.
Just last month, James Agyenim-Boateng, a deputy Minister of Information and Spokesperson to the Transition Team signed a news release in which Ministers and appointees were ordered to surrender their official four-wheel drive vehicles by January 4, 2013.
The release said the appointees had been directed to submit their hand-over notes to the Chief of Staff by Tuesday January 1, 2013, for onward transfer to the Administrator-General.
It explained, “The deadline had been set to not only ensure a clean wrap up of the work of the incumbent administration but also to ensure the smooth political transfer of power to the new administration of President John Mahama, as required by the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845).
“This is the first time, under the Fourth Republic, that the political transfer of power is being regulated by legislation,” the statement added.
The release further said, “Those in occupation of official bungalows are also reminded that under the Presidential Transition Act, they have up to three months from the day of inauguration of the President to vacate their accommodation.”
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