Mavis Hawa Koomson is to replace the resigned minister of Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto by acting as the caretaker till the substantive minister is appointed by the president.
In a statement issued by the presidency and signed by Eugene Arhin who is the Director of Communications at the presidency, the president, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo has received and accepted the resignation of the minister of Agric and has therefore replaced him with a caretaker minister in the person of Madam Hawa Koomson.
“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has accepted the resignation from the office of Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto as Minister for Food and Agriculture. This was after the Minister personally presented his letter of resignation to the president at Jubilee House on Tuesday, 10th January 2023″.
“The President has, subsequently, tasked the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson, Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, to act as caretaker Minister at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture until a substantive replacement is made,” the statement said.
The president congratulated the Minister and wished him well in all his endeavours.
“President Akufo-Addo conveyed his sincere gratitude to Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto for his services to the government and to the nation, and wished him the best of luck in his future endeavours,” the statement added
Dr. Afriyie Akoto Resigns
Last Tuesday, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto formally announced his resignation as minister of food and agriculture.
He resigned in order to concentrate on his desire to serve as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidate in the general elections of 2024.
Days before Dr. Akoto’s resignation, Alan Kyerematen resigned from his position as Trade Minister in order to concentrate on his campaign for president.
The former minister of agriculture served two terms as an MP for Ashanti Region’s Kwadaso Constituency in Kumasi.
Prior to his appointment as the Minister for Food and Agriculture in 2017, he served as the Deputy Ranking Member and then the substantive Ranking Member for the Committee on Food, Agriculture, and Cocoa Affairs in Parliament.
In order to sell cheaper foods to Ghanaians in November 2022, Dr. Afriyie Akoto adopted the contentious Planting for Food and Jobs program at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s offices. This was done in the midst of economic hardship and rising food costs.
Credit: Citinewsroom
