President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has sworn into office the Minister and Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu and Francisca Oteng Mensah respectively.
This event, according to the President, signifies the completion of the re-constituted new team at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
The President expressed gratitude for completing this task smoothly and on time and thanked Parliament for its usual cooperation in this undertaking.
“Minister, Deputy Minister, I congratulate both of you on your appointments,” he stated adding: “the wide acceptance of your nominations by the Ghanaian people and the nature of your performances during Parliament’s approval process is for me indications that their confidence repose in you is not misplaced.”
Nonetheless, President Akufo-Addo urge them to justify their appointments, especially when there are a lot of their peers who had not been selected despite having similar claims of competence.
He said their appointments had come at a critical moment in the country’s history and their success in this endeavour would be a consequence of the Oath they had seldomly sworn.
He said the quality of their integrity which would permeate their work is extremely important and reminded them of the commitment of the New Patriotic Party, which is to serve the Ghanaian people honestly and competently.
“We are called to this public appointment to provide public service and not to promote our gains.”
President Akufo-Addo warned the Minister and her Deputy to file their Assets declarations promptly and urged them to remain above reproach in their public dealings.
Specifically, to the Deputy Minister, President Akufo-Addo said her major responsibility at the Ministry is to assist the Minister in her performance and warned that he would not countenance any acts of disloyalty or subversion of the Minister.
“Loyalty is the fundamental task of your work and any act contrary to that would be taken to me personally and by inference disloyalty to the State and Party.”
A Deputy Minister, President said, who thinks the root of advancement lies in the ability to undermine or subvert their minister “would sadly be mistaken. “You will not profit from that conduct in Akufo-Addo’s Presidency.”
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
