Ministers Panic Over Reshuffle

A major ministerial reshuffle that would see some ministers and deputy ministers receive their quit orders from the Atta-Mills led Government is in the offing, The Publisher newspaper has gathered from heavyweights at the seat of Government. This would be about the third time President Mills would be rearranging his ministerial list since the NDC came to power. Though the official reshuffle list is yet to be released, The publisher has sighted a provisional list that suggests that the Central Regional Minister Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, Minister for Water Resources Works and Housing; Alban Bagbin, his deputy; Hannah Bissaw, the Minister for Roads and Transport Joe Gidisu and Minster for Information; John Akologo Tia would be affected. Two other names that have been marked with asterisks are Deputy Minister for Tourism; James Agyenim-Boateng and Deputy Minister for Agric in charge of Fisheries; Nii Amasah-Namoale. Unofficial explanations The Publisher received imply that Ama Benyiwa-Doe has been earmarked with a red ink because very prominent members of the NDC from the very region of which she heads have constantly called for her dismissal. They claim that while the President was able to commission a number of projects in the other regions during his regional tours, the Central Region cannot boast of a single project available for the President to commission. �Since she was made Minister of the region, no deputy has being assigned to work because she is very difficult to work with and if she is allowed to stay - the President and the party will soon be embarrassed. As for her inability to hold the region in one piece, you journalists can best tell from the countless reports of division here, quarrels there and disunity everywhere,� a key NDC member in the Region has complained. According to them, the Central Regional Minister has virtually fought every constituency officer. �We have told the president it is in his interest that Ama Doe is replaced if he wants to retain his support in the region in the next general election�. The information further hinted that, Mr. Alban Bagbin, may end up as a victim of circumstance because the main albatross on his neck is the failure of the STX Korea Housing project. What has compounded the weight of his cross is the silent but growing agitation from Parliament over the actual cost of the renovation of the Job 600 building, meant to serve as offices for the Parliamentarians. Meanwhile Bagbin may have shot himself in the foot right from the day he was sworn into office when he publicly promised that within a hundred days, he would solve the problem of water shortage in Accra. Currently, the entire eastern part of Accra and its environs have not had water flowing through their taps for close to six weeks. Reports say Bagbin�s deputy, Hannah Bissaw, would also be asked to step aside though she has shown clear signs that she aspires for the Ministerial position. Joe Gidisu, is said to have developed a wanton level of disrespect for the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport because he now perceives himself as �well off� and carries himself with airs of pomposity though the country�s roads are nothing to write home about and contractors working on them have displayed a sheer celebration of laziness. A source within the presidency also pointed out that his inability to ensure completion of some road projects especially Teshie-Nungua, Achimota-Ofankor, Tetteh Quarshie-Adenta as well as the Sofoline in Kumasi has brought embarrassment to the government. Information minister John Tia has not brought much to the ministry since he took over from Zita Okaikoi and again considering the fact that the opposition NPP still dominates the airwaves has prompted the President to look for another person to spearhead the government information machinery ahead of the election 2012.