GHANA'S PRESIDENT FORCES RESIGNATION OF KEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001412

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2017
TAGS: ECON ETRD GH PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: GHANA'S PRESIDENT FORCES RESIGNATION OF KEY
MINISTERS

REF: ACCRA 1041

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Classified By: PolChief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.4 (d) and (e).


1. (SBU) Summary: On June 23, President Kufuor gave all
ministers aspiring to run for president until early July to
resign. Four ministers have already submitted resignations,
while five others (including the Foreign Minister and
Minister of Trade and Industry) are expected to resign soon.
The President's decision has been expected for several weeks
and is designed to shift out of government ministers who have
been focused more on campaigning than on their portfolios.
Kufuor will likely name new ministers soon. The impact on
governance and on the presidential race remain to be seen.
Trade Minister Kyerematen's potential imminent departure is a
new unknown in planning for the July AGOA Forum. End
summary.


2. (U) On June 19 President Kufuor demanded the resign1Q7QLkTourism and
Diasporan Relations Jake Obestebi- Lamptey resigned and left
office. The Ministers of Communications (Mike Ocquaye),
Water Resources, Works and Housing (Hackman Owusu-Agyeman),
and Defense (Kwame Addo-Kufour) have also tendered
resignations, although they have not yet been accepted by the
President. Also expected to resign in the near future are
the Ministers of Trade and Industry (Alan Kyerematen),
Foreign Affairs and NEPAD (Nana Akufo-Addo),Parliamentary
Affairs (Felix Owusu-Adjapong),Education and Sports (Papa
Owusu-Ankomah),and Public Sector Reform (Paa Kwesi Nduom).


Comment
--------------


3. (SBU) As reported reftel, the NPP constitution requires
that sitting ministers resign their portfolios when they
formally register as presidential candidates. As a result,
ministerial aspirants were expected to resign during the
registration period, between September and November, in the
lead-up to the December 2007 NPP convention. Kufuor's action
was a widely expected preemptive move, designed to replace
the heavily distracted ministerial aspirants with ministers
who can focus more fully on government business.


4. (SBU) NPP Chairman Peter Mac Manu and NPP General
Secretary Nana Ohene-Ntow initially complained that they were

SIPDIS
not adequately consulted in the President's decision
(although Kufuor had no constitutional requirement to consult
the party). The aspirants wanted more time to benefit from
the resources and profile of their portfolios. According to
press reports, the public reaction has been mixed, with some
arguing the ministers should have been allowed to stay on
longer, while others believing that the ministers were using
their offices for personal campaigning and should have been
forced out. Our political contacts generally downplay the
dropping of these ministers, arguing that they were not
performing well because of their campaigning and that their
bureaucracies will be able to function fine without them.


5. (C) By forcing the early resignation of so many
ministers, Kufuor may also hope to strengthen his ability to
influence the party's choice for president without worrying
about appearing to favor one minister in his government over
anotxQ Qt change is
unfortunate for Ghana's leadership in the African Union
Summit and for the July AGOA Conference. It is not clear
whether Kyerematen will be allowed to remain for AGOA;
however, even if he is, he will not be in a position to
direct the implementation of decisions taken at the Forum.


6. (C) Kufuor is expected to name replacement ministers
soon. Because new ministers require parliamentary vetting
and parliament will be out of session from the end of July
until early October, most analysts expect the President will

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fill the gaps by shifting existing ministers or by promoting
deputy ministers (which would not require new vetting).
While it is still early in the game, some possible
replacements to take over these ministries include: Boniface
Abu-Bakar Saddique for Minister of Trade and Industry (former
Deputy Minister of Trade and Minister of the Northern Region
and current Minister of Manpower),Mustafa Iddris for
Minister of Foreign Affairs (former Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs and current Northern Regional Minister),and
Deputy Minister of Education Kwame Amporfo Twumasi for
Minister of Education and Sports. Kufuor may decide to
eliminate the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, as was
recommended by the African Peer Review Mechanism.







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