Government names new Cabinet

Accra, April 1, GNA - Government on Tuesday named a new 19-member Cabinet following last Thursday's major Cabinet reshuffle.

They are, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health, Mrs Gladys Asmah Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, and Major Courage Quarshigah Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). Others are Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Papa Owusu Ankomah Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City.

The rest are, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom Minister of Energy, Professor Kasim Kasanga, Minister of Science and Environment, Mr Felix Owusu Adjapong Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Professor! Dominic Fobih Minister of Lands and Forestry, Mr Hackman Owusu- Agyemang, Minister of Interior.

The rest are, Mrs Cecilia Bannerman Minister of Mines, Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Alhaji Mustapha Idris Ali, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade, Industry and Special Presidential Initiatives (SPI) and Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Senior Minister who had been given responsibility for Public Sector Reform and National Institutional Renewal Programme (NIRP).

The non-Cabinet Ministers are, Dr Richard Winfred Anane, Minister of Roads, Highways and Transport, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railways, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Regional Co-Operation and NEPAD.

The others are, Mr Yaw Barimah, Minister of Manpower, Development and Employment, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister! of Communications and Technology, Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Private Sector Development and Nana Akomea, Minister of Information.

Mr Kwabena Agyepong, Press Secretary to the President and Presidential Spokesman who disclosed this to the Castle Press Corps in Accra said President J A Kufuor had acknowledged the divergent views expressed on the reshuffle.

He said the reshuffle was the prerogative of President Kufuor to revamp government machinery, re-invigorate his team to fulfil his mandate as the President of Ghana.

Mr Agyepong said the decision to reshuffle the Cabinet, was taken after a long, thorough, purposeful and comprehensive assessment of all the members of his team.

"As the Chief Executive of the country, he had a bird's eye view and was in a good position to assess the performance and inputs of the various members of the team and re-position them to bring more efficiency and increase the pace of his government", He added.

Mr Agyepong said the new Cabinet was constituted to represent the national character of the government and as a constitutional provision to advice the President.

President Kufuor had since assumption of power invited most of the Ministers to Ministerial meetings.