Ghana’s Parliament approved all pending ministerial and deputy ministerial nominees put forward by President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, March 7, 2025.
The approved appointees—comprising 13 deputy ministers and one Minister of State—are now set to be sworn into office.
The confirmed nominees include Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba as Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms, alongside Dr. Clement Apaak (Deputy Minister of Education), Richard Gyan Mensah (Deputy Minister of Energy), and John Dumelo (Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture).
Others are Alhassan Suhuyini (Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways), Justice Sai (Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice), and Yusif Sulemana (Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources).
The list also includes Yusif Isaka Jajah (Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts), Rita Naa Odorley Sowah (Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs), Gizella Tetteh (Deputy Minister of Works, Housing, and Water Resources), and Ernest Brogya Genfi (Deputy Minister of Defence).
With parliamentary approval secured, the nominees will soon be sworn into office to officially assume their roles in government.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which criticized a former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen, for influence peddling, explained in a recent statement why it was unable to bring charges against him.
Influence peddling is a recognized form of corruption worldwide. The OSP’s investigation, which was based on an investigative documentary titled “Galamsey Economy,” produced by Tiger Eye P.I. and led by renowned investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, raised serious concerns about this practice.
“Influence peddling or trading in influence is a significant index of corruption worldwide, and it is deprecated under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC),” the OSP explained.
Nevertheless, despite Ghana’s status as a state party to the UNCAC (United Nations Convention against Corruption), it has not introduced specific legislation to criminalize influence peddling or trading in influence.
Consequently, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) emphasized that it lacked the legal authority to initiate legal proceedings in such cases, emphasizing the legal constraints it encountered.
The OSP emphasized the urgency of enacting legislative changes, including the adoption of a Corrupt Practices Act and a Conduct of Public Officers Act.
This aligns with the demands of various civil society organizations, notably OccupyGhana.
The cumulative investment in the government’s Free Senior High School Program, according to Mr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, was GH5.3 billion by the end of 2021 rather than the GH7.62 billion earlier stated.
In response to a query from Mr. Clement Abas Apaak, Mr. Adam, Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), made the announcement on the floor of Parliament on behalf of Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister for Finance.
“Mr Speaker, we invested GH¢3.2 billion to implement Free SHS, resulting in over 1.2 million teenagers being in secondary school now, looking forward to better opportunities in life. For their parents and families, this has translated into GH¢2.2 billion in savings,” he said.
Mr. Apaak wanted to know why the cost of implementing the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) had increased dramatically from GH3.2 billion since its inception, as reported in the 2020 Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy, to GH7.62 billion, as reported in the 2021 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
Mr. Adam Amin clarified that the sources of funding for the Free SHS were included in the 2021 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review in accordance with the government’s desire for budget transparency.
“Mr Speaker, over the years GH¢7.62 billion has been allocated to implement the Free SHS Programme.,” he said.
He explained that the increase in allocation was a result of the growth in cohorts and enrollment, adding that in the 2017/2018 academic year, total enrollment was 362,108 and that increased to 432,791 in the 2018/2019 academic year.
“Mr Speaker, by the 2021/2022 academic year, enrollment reached 465,242. Subsequent allocations increased because of the number of cohorts and for that matter, the number of enrollments has been increasing,” he told Parliament.
Mr Adam Amin said the cumulative allocation for the programme did not usually and naturally translate into the amount spent and invested in the Free SHS Programme for key two reasons; how the government was able to spend and invest depended on revenue performance and non-alignment of the financial and academic year, which required that reconcile occurred before amounts were fully paid in the next financial year.
According to him, the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination results being the second batch of the “Akufo-Addo graduates” showed 54.08 per cent of the students recording A1-C6 in English, as opposed to 51.6 per cent in 2016; 65.70 per cent recording A1-C6 in Integrated Science in 2021, as opposed to 48.35 per cent in 2016; 54.11 per cent recording A1-C6 in Mathematics, as compared to 33.12 per cent in 2016; and 66.03 per cent recording A1-C6 in Social Studies, as compared to 54.55 per cent in 2016.
“Mr Speaker, as a result of this transformational and inclusive government intervention, about 2 million young people have either found a pathway to further education, training, apprenticeships, employment and a potentially prosperous future,” he said.
He added that it was President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s priority to protect the sovereign rights of the people to pursue dignified and fulfilling lives and ensured that young people were equipped with the skill set to achieve social mobility.
“Mr Speaker, the government believes that the Free SHS Policy sets a real solid foundation for our young people to compete in the global marketplace and reach even higher heights by the grace of God,” he said.
Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, has revealed government’s intention to construct approximately 1,000 electric charging stations throughout Ghana by 2028.
According to the minister, this initiative aims to accelerate Ghana’s position in the electric vehicle sector and aligns with the implementation of an energy transition framework.
Speaking at a conference on Climate Finance for Sustainable Transition in Africa, the minister emphasized the need for increased investments totaling around $600 million from now until 2070. These investments are crucial for Ghana to achieve sustainable energy sources as part of the transition framework.
He acknowledged that careful planning and execution are necessary for the energy transition plan. However, he also highlighted the evident and long-lasting presence of electric vehicles, indicating that they are here to stay.
“With more than 1,000 electric vehicles already in operation across Ghana, government aims to build an additional 1,000 electric charging stations within the next five years to provide the necessary infrastructure to promote EV adoption throughout the country,” Dr Amin Adam noted.
Regarding the regulation of electric vehicles, the Minister of State highlighted the implementation of comprehensive guidelines by the Energy Commission of Ghana to govern their manufacturing and usage.
Additionally, the minister emphasized the establishment of car manufacturing companies that are already operational within Ghana.
“By establishing the required electric charging stations, the government aims to encourage these companies to produce electric vehicles locally, further supporting the country’s sustainable transportation goals,” Dr Amin Adam said.
“The commitment to set up electric charging stations aligns with Ghana’s broader energy transition plan, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and promote the use of renewable energy sources,” he added.
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has said that the late former representative for Old Tafo, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei was an effective lawmaker.
In Parliament today Tuesday, March 21, the Speaker said “Dr Akoto Osei was a very illustrious member, very effective, very well respected, a very true gentleman.
“The former Member of Parliament Dr Anthony Osei Akoto was not just a Member of Parliament but was also appointed a Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and later became a Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, he really distinguished himself at both the Ministry and in Parliament for Ghana.
“Before even joining politics he was a known face and very active civil society leader who worked in the then very vibrant economic NGO.”
Dr Akoto Osei’s death was announced on the official Facebook page of theParliament of Ghanaon Monday, March 20.
“Former Old Tafo MP, Hon. Dr Anthony Osei Akoto passes away. May he rest in peace,” Parliament announced.
Dr Akoto Osei was in the cabinet of President John Agyekum Kufuor as Minister of State for Finance and Economic Planning.
He was a member of Parliament for the electoral district of Old Tafo in the Ashanti region.
He worked as deputy minister for Finance and Economic Planning in May 2003 and was a major economic adviser to the government.
He was elevated to substantive Minister for Finance and Economic Planning after the death of the then Minister Kwadwo Baah Wiredu.
He served in that role until 6 January 2009 when the government was handed over to the National Democratic Congress who had won the 2008 General Elections.
In February 2017, Osei was sworn in as Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation after being nominated by President Nana Akufo-Addo and going through the vetting process in the parliament of Ghana.
The ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation was a newly created Ministry to evaluate, monitor and plan review summits and forums in fulfillment of the government’s policies on evaluating the progress of its own ministries.
