President Mahama tells his newly sworn-in Ministers what Ghanaians expect from them
President John Dramani Mahama has outlined the expectations of Ghanaians to his newly sworn-in ministers, urging them to deliver transformative results in their respective sectors.
The swearing-in ceremony, held today at the Jubilee House, marked the official commencement of their roles following parliamentary approval on January 21, 2025.
The six ministers, tasked with overseeing critical sectors of Ghana’s development, include:
- Dr Cassiel Ato Forson as Minister for Finance
- Dr Dominic Ayine as Attorney General
- John Jinapor as Minister for Energy and Green Transition
- Haruna Iddrisu as Minister for Education
- Eric Opoku as Minister for Food and Agriculture
- Governs Kwame Agbodza as Minister for Roads and Highways
Addressing the ministers, President Mahama reminded them of the enormous responsibility placed on their shoulders by the people of Ghana, stating: “I’ve just sworn you in, the first six ministers who are responsible for perhaps the most critical sectors of our national life, especially economy and the energy sector.”
He detailed specific expectations for each minister, beginning with Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister for Finance.
“In the economy, the people of Ghana are looking up to you, Dr Forson, to reduce inflation and make life more affordable, reduce the cost of living. They’re looking up to you to bring our national debt to sustainable levels, to stabilise our currency, and to rein in the deficit so that we can achieve macroeconomic stability.”
For John Jinapor, Minister for Energy and Green Transition, the President emphasised the need for stable and efficient energy delivery: “Ghanaians are looking for stable and efficient power supply. They’re looking to you to accelerate our upstream and downstream petroleum sectors so that Ghanaians can reap the benefits of the potential that God has given us. They’re also looking to you to manage the energy sector debt and remove it as an albatross around the neck of our economy.”
Addressing Eric Opoku, Minister for Food and Agriculture, the President highlighted the importance of food security: “Ghanaians are looking for food security, and they’re looking for cheap and affordable food to fill their stomachs.”
For Governs Kwame Agbodza, Minister for Roads and Highways, the President acknowledged the complexity of his portfolio:
“Everybody in Ghana is complaining about bad roads. You have the duty not only to maintain existing roads but to provide new roads for smooth transportation.”
In education, the President charged Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, with ensuring quality education and equipping the youth with employable skills: “You’re supposed to work for the people of Ghana to ensure quality education and to ensure that we equip our young people with the skills they need to go into the world of work. One of your first responsibilities will be to superintend the National Review Conference on Education to bring stakeholders together to dialogue on how to improve our educational outcomes.”
Lastly, addressing Dr Dominic Ayine, Attorney General, the President tasked him with reforming the justice system and ensuring accountability: “You’ll also be responsible for holding people accountable and making sure that the sword of justice goes after people who have misappropriated the resources of Ghanaians. One of the major tasks you would have to undertake is to shepherd the National Constitutional Validation Conference in order that we can begin amendment of our Constitution to make it a living document for the future.”
The President concluded by expressing confidence in their ability to fulfil these mandates, underscoring the importance of their roles in driving national progress.