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President John Dramani Mahama has finally farmed out his heavily battered minister, Mahama Ayariga, who recently went on air insulting Ghanaian journalists, saying they ask useless questions.

The Bawku born lawyer, who became the first Sports Minister to buy a football club with undisclosed money whilst in office and throwing the issue of conflict of interest to the winds, has unfortunately been shifted to another cantankerous ministry (Environment, Science and Technology), which is currently decked with so many polemics, regarding importation of nitrite.

In yet another cabinet reshuffle released by the affable and humble Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, on behalf of President Mahama on Saturday, Alhaji Dr. Mustapha Ahmed (MP) was named as the new Minister for Youth and Sports.

Dr. Ahmed’s appointment brings to six, the number of ministers appointed to head the sports ministry in six years.

First was Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, who was removed from the Sport Ministry by president Mills, after a few months in office, over certain purchases authorized by the ministry, which caused a furore.

Enter Ghana’s first female sport minister, Akua Sena Dansua, who many thought could be the Messiah to exorcise the bad spirit at the Ministry, since Mallam Yusif Issah, a minister under Kufuor’s regime went to jail in 2001 over the missing Black Stars cash, but she also failed to make the mark and was removed after the South Africa 2010 World Cup.

Then came Mr. Kofi Humado, who was given the mantle to prove his managerial skills, but he was also uprooted like cassava and has since been missing from the ministerial lists, after the cover of the GYEEDA scandal was blown.

Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah was then brought in when president Mahama assumed office as President of Ghana. Though the Ave in Volta Region and Ashanti born politician started well at the ministry, but just like Akua Sena Dansua, he was also swept away by the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

Joseph Yammin, who was recently sacked by president Mahama as Deputy Ashanti Regional Ministry, then the Deputy to Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, had announced to the world that Ghana was airlifting $3 million to Brazil which created ignominy for the nation.

The embarrassment caused by Yamin forced the president to reshuffle him and his boss – Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, and Ayariga was brought in to steers the affairs of the ministry.

He, however, became the worst minister at the ministry, after insulting journalists, who helped him to stardom, for allegedly asking useless questions.

Ayariga’s diatribe came after probing journalists had asked him to tell the nation how much was spent on the Black Stars for the January-February African Cup of Nations hosted by Equatorial Guinea.

Soon after being appointed as the Director of Communications at the Presidency, when President Mills assumed office in 2009, Mr. Ayariga started visiting state owned newspapers and radio station to introduce himself.

But a meeting held at the popular Dynasty Restaurant at Osu, a suburb of Accra, with senior journalists, Dr. Bonah Koomson former Director of School of Communications at the University of Ghana, put him in his right shoes.

Dr. Bonah Koomson educated Ayariga that the position of Director of Communications at the Presidency was not the same as information Minister, and was, therefore, wondering why he should be visiting Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times and GBC to introduce himself to them. You are visiting them for what? He asked Mr. Ayariga, who looked helpless before the journalists.

Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, who takes over from Ayariga as Sports Minister, is not well known in the sporting circles, but like his immediate predecessor, he has also started talking tough.

In an interview he granted some of the radio stations, he promised to do wider consultations. It is, however, not known whether he can also survive after the CAN 2017 tournament, which Ghana is bidding to host.

In other appointments, Alhaji Collins Dauda, who was booted out of Cabinet recently, moves to the Local Government Ministry from Water Resources, Works and Housing.

Alhaji Collins Dauda, a teacher by profession, moves to a ministry where his predecessor, Julius Debrah, had left a huge footprint.

Dr. Kwaku Agyeman Mensah moves from the Health Ministry to take over at the Works and housing Ministry, Kwaku Agyeman Mensah’s removal is believed to have centered on the recent fire outbreak at the Central Medical Store at Tema, where the authorities suspect arson. Alex Segbefia, Deputy Minister of Defence, has been promoted to take over at the Health Ministry.

President Mahama has also nominated the MP for Juabeso, Kwaena Mintah Akandoh, as a Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to replace Ebenezer Okletey Teye Larbi (MP). The following have also been nominated as Deputy Ministers of State: Samuel Yaw Adusei – Water Resources, Works and housing and Kenneth Gilbert Adjei – Defence.