GHANA'S PRESIDENT KUFUOR BEGINS CABINET SHUFFLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001520

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON GH PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: GHANA'S PRESIDENT KUFUOR BEGINS CABINET SHUFFLE

REF: A. ACCRA 1041


B. ACCRA 1412

ACCRA 00001520 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary: On July 10 and 11, President Kufuor
submitted to parliament the names of thirteen new ministers
in the beginning of a Cabinet shuffle. The new list promotes
a number of deputy ministers, including Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs Akwasi Osei-Adjei to Foreign Minister. The
new Minister of Trade, Joe Baidoe-Ansah, is a surprise choice
unknown to us. More names are expected soon and the new
ministers will take office as soon as they are vetted (by
late July). End Summary.

Background
--------------


2. (U) On June 19, President Kufuor asked for the
resignation of all his ministers from the ruling New
Patriotic Party (NPP) aspiring to be the party's presidential
candidate in the 2008 election (ref B). After some internal
debate, on June 23 Kufuor agreed to give all the aspirants
until the first week of July to leave office, pending the
naming of their replacements. Eight ministers submitted
resignations: Minister of Foreign Affairs and NEPAD Nana
Akufo-Addo, Minister of Communications Mike Ocquaye, Minister
of Water Resources, Works and Housing Hackman Owusu-Agyeman,
Minister of Defense Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Trade and
Industry Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Education and Sports
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Felix
Owusu-Adjapong, and Minister of Tourism and Diasporan
Relations Jake Obestebi-Lamptey (who already left office).

The Shuffle Begins
--------------


3. (U) On July 10, President Kufuor forced Minister of
Public Sector Reform Paa Kwesi Nduom to resign. As a member
of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP),Nduom was not bound by
the NPP's constitution requiring sitting ministers to resign
once they register as presidential candidates. He reportedly
had hoped to stay on until November before officially
launching his presidential campaign.


4. (U) On July 11 the President submitted the following
Cabinet changes to parliament for vetting:

Akwasi Osei-Adjei - Foreign Minister (from Deputy Foreign
Minister)

Cecilia Dapaah - Minister of Water Resources, Works and
Housing (from Deputy Minister of the same Ministry)

Ambrose Dery - Minister of State at the Attorney General's
Office (a new position, from Upper West Regional Minister)

Anthony Akoto Osei - Minister of State at the Ministry of
Finance (a new position, from Deputy Minister of Finance)

Nana Akomea - Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment
(Deputy Minister of Tourism and also Minister of Information
in the early Kufuor years)

Oboshie Sai-Coffie - Minister of Information and National
Orientation (from Deputy Minister of the same Ministry)

Joe Baidoe-Ansah - Minister of Trade, Industry, Private
Sector Development and Presidential Special Initiatives (from
Deputy Minister of Tourism)

Samuel Owusu-Adjei - Minister of State for Public Sector
Reform (from Deputy Minister of Health)

Nana Obiri Boahene - Minister of State for Interior (a new
position, former Chairman of the Brong Ahafo NPP)

Benjamin Aggrey-Ntim - Minister of Communications (from
Deputy Minister of Communications)

George Hikah Bensen - Upper West Regional Minister (former
Deputy Minister of the same region)

Kwadwo Afram-Asiedu - Eastern Regional Minister (from Deputy
Minister of Trade)


ACCRA 00001520 002.2 OF 002


Alhassan Samari - Upper East Regional Minister

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


5. (SBU) Some portfolios remain unfilled and we expect more
names to be submitted to parliament in the next few days.
The current ministers are expected to leave office as soon as
the new ministers are vetted, which should happen by the end
of July. Minister of Trade Alan Kyerematen is expected to
stay through the AGOA Forum. The shuffle will elevate a
number of deputy ministers and appears to reward loyalty and
competence, while removing from office ministers who were
distracted by their presidential campaigns. The shuffle also
doubles the number of female full ministers (from two to
four). The new Minister of State positions may strengthen
their respective ministries, but may also create alternate
power centers which undermine their effectiveness. It is not
clear if the current ministers in charge of those ministries
will be staying on.


6. (SBU) Minister Nduom was a key player in the development
of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact and in
our fiscal decentralization efforts. He can stay on as the
Chairman of the Millennium Development Authority (MIDA, MCC's
Ghanaian counterpart),although our information suggests he
may not last long. Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Ghana's next Foreign
Minister, is an excellent Mission contact. He is polished,
well-informed, reasonable, and personable, although he lacks
Akufo-Addo's political stature and breadth of experience.
Anthony Osei, Cecilia Dapaah, Oboshie Sai-Coffie, and Ambrose
Dery are well known to us and very capable. A surprise
choice is the relatively unknown new Trade Minister Joe
Baidoe-Ansah, a former journalist and a Deputy Tourism
Minister for one year.
BRIDGEWATER