NDC Picks Leaders: Betty Bounces Back

Information picked up by DAILY GUIDE suggests that Edward Doe Adjaho, current First Deputy Speaker of Parliament has been tipped to replace Justice Joyce Bamford Addo as Speaker of the next Parliament, to be sworn in on Monday. Doe Adjaho, MP for Ave Avenor in the Volta Region, beat two other persons including highly favoured Ken Dzirasah, former MP for South Tongu in the Volta Region to the position. According to NDC sources, the position of First Deputy Speaker is going to Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni, MP elect for Kumbungu in the Northern Region and outgoing Minister for Foreign Affairs, with People�s National Congress (PNC) lone MP in Parliament, Alhassan Azong, as the Second Deputy Speaker. The PNC Member of Parliament for Builsa North and Minister of State at the Presidency is from the Upper East Region. The Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business is Dr Benjamin Kunbuor. The outgoing Minister of Justice and Attorney General is bouncing back to Parliament as MP elect for the newly created Nandom Constituency in the Upper West. His deputy is Alfred Agbesi, MP for Ashaiman, while the Majority Whip position goes to Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, MP for Asawase. Reports suggest that President John Dramani Mahama has also penciled Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, as his next Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. It is believed that the current Minister Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni would take up the First Deputy Speaker position in Parliament. The likely appointment of Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu, who served as Education Minister as well, forms part of efforts by the President to recognize the contribution of women in the success of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). However, she is coming with a baggage of paying the GHC51.2million to NDC financier Alfred Agbesi Woyome, who had no contract with the State among other controversial judgment debt scandals. Other women being considered for appointments are Benita Okitiy Dua, the newly-elected MP for Ledzokuku who might be Minister of Women and Children�s Affairs at the expense of Juliana Azumah Mensah. Dzifa Ativor, a deputy Minister of Transport as well as Moses Asaga, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare who is a personal friend of the President, is likely to be retained. A source at the Castle said that the President is determined to ensure �a significant shift in his appointments.� �New faces as well as young people are also being considered by the President,� the source added. It is rumoured that current ministers including E.T. Mensah at Works and Housing, Fritz Baffuor of Information, Dr Joe Oteng Agyei of Energy, Alex Asum-Ahensan of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mike Hammah of Lands Forestry and Natural Resources and even Dr. Kwabena Dufuor of Finance and Economic Planning are not likely to be re-appointed. In Dr. Dufuor�s case, his deputy Seth Terkpe, Dr. Samuel Cadman Mills, brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, and Alhassan Andani of Stanbic Bank, have all been rumoured to be considered by the President for appointment as ministers. Regional Ministers like Ama Benyiwa Doe (Central), Paul Evans Aidoo (Western), Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo (Brong Ahafo) and Moses Bukari Mabengba might not be considered for re-appointments. Deputy Ministers like Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of Information, Fifi Kwetey of Finance, Baba Jamal of Tourism are said to be on their way out of their positions to enable them to concentrate on their parliamentary work. Spokesman for Former President Jerry John Rawlings, Kofi Adams, would get a ministerial appointment for the support he gave to the Mahama campaign. Already, a group has started lobbying the leadership of the party to get Mr. Adams to contest the Buem seat which has been left vacant by the sudden death of Volta Regional Minister Henry Ford Kamel and analysts believe that would help him to get more recognition.