Akufo-Addo Reassigns Trade Ministry To Abu Jinapor After Backlash For Assigning It To Ofori-Atta

• President Nana Akufo-Addo has appointed Abu Jinapor to take over the trade ministry as caretaker minister
• His decision follows criticisms for assigning the vacant ministry to Ken Ofori-Atta after Alan Kyerematen resigned from the office
• Abu Jinapor will assume responsibility for the trade ministry from Monday, January 16, 2023 until a substantive minister has been appointed, the presidency said in a statement

Amid the public backlash for assigning the vacant trade and industry ministry to Ken Ofori-Atta, president Akufo-Addo has changed his mind.

He has re-assigned the ministry to Abu Jinapor, the lands and natural resources minister, until he finds a substantive replacement for Alan Kyerematen.

In a statement issued by director of communications at the presidency Eugene Arhin on Friday, January 13, 2023, Jinapor will assume responsibility for the trade ministry from Monday, January 16, 2023.

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Backlash over decision to re-assign trade ministry to Ofori-Atta

The president was criticised last week for assigning the troubled finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta as caretaker minister of ministry held by Kyerematen.

Many Ghanaians felt it was an insult to the Ghanaian public who have been calling for the finance minister's dismissal for poorly managing the economy.

Others felt the decision will hurt business confidence and deny Ghana much-needed foreign investment.

Opposition MP for Ellembelle Emmanuel Armarh-Kofi Buah is among those who have criticised the president for assigning Ofori-Atta to the trade ministry.

He described the decision as a slap-in-the-face of the Ghanaian business community and said he was worried that it will dampen confidence.

He told Citi News that Ofori-Atta's poor delivery, evident in the current economic crisis is a good reason the president should not have added the trade ministry to Ofori-Atta's portfolio.

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Ofori-Atta Apologises for Economic Crisis In Ghana

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that the finance minister has said he feels the pains of Ghanaians over the debilitating economic crisis.

Ken Ofori-Atta made the comment when he appeared before the ad hoc committee hearing the grounds for a censure motion brought against him by the Minority caucus.

The minister said he has managed the economy very well, contrary to the allegations by the Minority.

Source: YEN.com.gh