President John Dramani Mahama has urged his appointees to demonstrate humility and accountability in governance, emphasizing that the government exists to serve the people.

“We must show respect for their views and strive to fulfill their aspirations,” he stated.

“This government will not tolerate arrogance or disrespect towards the people who elected us into office,” President Mahama emphasized.

He made these remarks at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday, during the swearing-in ceremony of the first group of six ministers for his cabinet, who were approved by Parliament last Tuesday.

The newly sworn-in ministers include Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam in the Central Region; Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, and MP for Bolgatanga East in the Upper East Region; and John Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, and MP for Yapei-Kasawgu in the Savannah Region.

Also appointed were Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education and MP for Tamale South in the Northern Region; Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minister of Roads and Highways and MP for Adaklu in the Volta Region; and Eric Opoku, the Minister of Food and Agriculture and MP for Asunafo South in the Ahafo Region.

The ceremony, President Mahama’s first official event at the Jubilee House since assuming office on January 7, began with the introduction of the ministers. The President then administered the Oath of Allegiance, Oath of Office, and Oath of Secrecy to the new appointees, before presenting them with their instruments of appointment, officially marking the start of their tenure in office.

Afterward, the ministers signed the Oath Book, which was officially sealed with the President’s signature.

The ceremony was attended by Vice-President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, senior government officials such as Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, Senior Presidential Advisor on Governance Dr. Valerie Sawyerr, and other dignitaries.

In his address, President Mahama urged the ministers to prioritize the interests of the state and focus on promoting the well-being of the people. He stressed the importance of teamwork in realizing the government’s vision.

President Mahama also reiterated his commitment to maintaining a lean government in order to reduce government expenditure, fulfilling his campaign promise of appointing no more than 60 ministers.

“I have submitted to the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament the names of 23 sector ministers, three ministers of state, and 16 regional ministers for parliamentary approval,” President Mahama stated. “So far, I have named 42 ministers of state and regional ministers to begin the urgent task of resetting our dear country, Ghana, which has faced numerous crises in recent years.”

He added that, as ministers are approved and sworn in, he would move forward with appointing deputy ministers for some of the ministries, bringing the total number of ministers to 60 as he promised the people of Ghana.

Specific Charges: President Mahama outlined the specific expectations for each minister, starting with Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Minister of Finance. “The people of Ghana are looking to you, Dr Forson, to reduce inflation, make life more affordable, lower the cost of living, and bring our national debt to sustainable levels,” the President said. He also noted that Ghanaians were looking for a stabilized currency and for efforts to rein in the deficit to achieve macroeconomic stability.

To Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, President Mahama urged him to lead a comprehensive reform of the justice system, ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability. “Be responsible for holding people accountable and making sure that the sword of justice goes after those who have misappropriated the resources of Ghanaians,” he stressed. The President also tasked Dr. Ayine with leading the National Constitutional Validation Conference to amend Ghana’s Constitution, making it a living document for the future.

Addressing John Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, President Mahama highlighted Ghanaians’ demand for stable and efficient power supply. “They’re looking to you to accelerate our upstream and downstream petroleum sectors so that Ghanaians can benefit from the resources God has given us,” he stated, also emphasizing the need to manage energy sector debt to ease its burden on the economy.

To Eric Opoku, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, President Mahama reminded him that Ghanaians were seeking food security, with affordable food to meet their needs. He also urged Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minister of Roads and Highways, to address the widespread complaints about bad roads by not only maintaining existing roads but also providing new ones for smoother transportation.

To Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, the President charged him with ensuring quality education for all, equipping young people with skills for the workforce. One of his first tasks, President Mahama noted, would be to oversee the National Review Conference on Education to improve educational outcomes in the country.

Minister’s Response: On behalf of the ministers, Dr. Forson assured the President of their commitment to the task of resetting the country and advancing the growth agenda. “We want to assure you that as we start work today, we will start the reset agenda with you for the people of Ghana,” he said.

Oral Plans: In an interview with the Daily Graphic after the ceremony, Attorney-General Dr. Ayine shared plans to introduce two major bills in Parliament soon. The first, the Legal Education Reform Bill, aims to overhaul the legal education system, with the bill currently being reviewed before submission to Parliament. The second, the Public Tribunals Act, seeks to re-establish public tribunals at the district level to enhance transparency and accountability in the justice system.

Dr. Ayine also expressed his intention to review the charges against Oliver Barker Vormawor and officials of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) charged with causing financial loss to the state. He said he would assess the charges to determine their validity and whether they should be pursued or dropped. Additionally, a meeting with the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee was scheduled to discuss the progress of their work and gather further information. “Information is different from evidence,” he added.