Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Catherine Abelema Afeku, has been removed in a reshuffle by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The reshuffle was announced on Thursday, February 28 in a statement by Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin.

The statement said the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, who is the Member of Parliament for the Prestea Huni-Valley constituency, will be replacing Mrs Afeku at the Ministry.

The removal of Mrs Afeku is quite surprising for some because she seemed to be one of the stars of the Akufo-Addo administration.

However it is not surprising to her critics, especially those in the creative arts sector who felt she hadn’t lived up to expectation in the two years she had been in the role.

For some, she was all talk and little action while for others, she had been overly concentrated on the tourism sector to the detriment of the culture and creative arts sectors.

Mrs Afeku is leaving at a time when she has been spearheading the Year of Return agenda declared by the President.

Parliament is expected to vet Barbara Oteng Gyasi soon. 

Below is the statement from the Presidency

PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO MAKES CHANGES TO HIS GOVERNMENT

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has made the following changes to the composition of his government, with immediate effect:

Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley constituency and former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, is now the Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts;

Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih is now Upper West Regional Minister-designate. The former Regional Minister, Sulemana Alhassan, has been reassigned;

Hon. Catherine Afeku, Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira constituency and former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, is now a Minister of State at the Office of the President, assigned to the Office of the Senior Minister;

Hon. Gifty Twum Ampofo, Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North constituency and former Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, is now Deputy Minister for Education;

Hon. Freda Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Tano North constituency and former Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, is now Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection;

Hon. Barbara Ayisi Asher, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North constituency and former deputy Minister for Education, is now Deputy Minister for Works and Housing;

Hon. Naana Eyiah, Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central constituency, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources;

Hon. Alex Kodwo Kom Abban, Member of Parliament for Gomoa West constituency, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Health;

Hon. Yaw Afful, Member of Parliament for Jaman South, is now Deputy Minister-designate for Aviation.

President Akufo-Addo is hopeful that Parliament will expedite the vetting of the Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Regional Minister-designate for Upper West, as well as the deputy Ministers-designate for Aviation, Lands and Natural Resources, and Health so they can assume their respective offices as quickly as possible.

Eugene Arhin

Director of Communications

Source: Graphic.com.gh