President John Evans Atta Mills

President John Atta Mills will pay a three-day visit to the United Kingdom (UK) from May 6, during which he will hold talks with British Premier Gordon Brown and other leaders to foster closer development cooperation between the two countries.

A statement signed by Mr Mahama Ayariga, presidential spokesperson, said the talks would centre on improving trade, investment, security and development cooperation between Ghana and the UK. President Mills will also meet with the Prince of Wales, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, David Miliband, the Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Jacqui Smith and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr David Cameron.
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The controversy surrounding the exact amount of per diem received by members of the government’s Transition Team at their six weeks sitting has been settled.

Each of the team members with the exception of the Chairman and Chairpersons of the various committees received $1,350 dollars as against $2000 dollars being put out by government critics in the past week.

Alex Segbefia, Secretary to the Government’s Transition Team cleared the controversy in an interview on Adom Dwaso Nsem on Tuesday when the issue came up during the panel discussion.
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President John Evans Atta Mills has decided to reconstitute the membership of all Governing Boards of Government Organizations and Parastatals. Accordingly, all such Boards are dissolved with immediate effect. A statement signed by Mr Mahama Ayariga, Presidential Spokesperson on Tuesday further directed that all appointments, promotions, re-designations, transfers, and re-assignments recently made by such Boards will not take effect until the new Boards are in place and have reviewed them.

It said the Government nominees on the Boards of Directors of Companies in which Government has shares have also been withdrawn. Their replacements will be made in due course.

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President Atta Mills has released his final 19 Ministerial nominees for vetting by parliament, bringing the total to 35.

A statement signed by Secretary to the President Mr. Bebaako Mensah named appointees as

* Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance
* Mrs Zita Okaikwei, Minster of Information
* Lt Gen. Rtd. J. H Smith Minister of Defence
* Mr. Moses Asaga, Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing
* Mr. Joe Gidisu Minister of Roads and Highways
* Alhaji Muntakar Mubarrak Muhammed, Minister of Youth and Sports
* Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
* Dr. George Yankey, Minister of Health
* Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture
* Stephen Kwao Amoanor, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare
* Mr. Alexander Asuom Ahinsa, Minister of Chiftaincy and Culture
* Cletus Avoka, Minister of Interior
* Joseph Yela Kyere, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

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The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt. Gen. J B Danquah, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Patrick Acheampong, are going on retirement on January 28th, 2009.

A statement signed by Mr. J Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the President, said that the President, John Atta Mills met with the two security ‘capos’ seperately yeaterday to inform them of his decision. The statement thanked them for their long service to the nation and wished them a peaceful and enjoyable retirement.

Pending the appointment of substantive replacements, Rear Admiral A R S Nuno will act as the Chief of Defence Staff, while Mrs. Elizabeth Mills-Robertson, the Deputy IGP acts as the IGP.

The President, John Evans Atta-Mills has slashed the number of ministries to 23, four less than previously.
This was announced by Mahama Ayariga, spokesperson to President Mills at the Castle on Friday.

Ministries of Parliamentary Affairs and Public Sector Reforms have been scrapped as well as those of Fisheries and Aviation.
This is in line with meeting the campaign promise of a lean government.

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President J E A Mills in an, ccordance with Article 78, clauses 1 and 2 of the constitutio has nominated a list of 15 people to be considered by Parliaments for Ministerial appointments.

The list signed by the Secretary to the President, Mr. J. K. Bebaako-Mensah has the following;

Mr. Mike Hammah (Ministry of Transport)
Mr. Alex Tetteh-Enyo (Ministry of Education)
Ms. Hannah Tetteh (Ministry of Trade and Industry)
Dr. Oteng Adjei (Ministry of Energy)
Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu (Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General)
Ms. Akua Dansua (Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs)
Mrs. Juliana Azumah Mensah (Ministry of Tourism)
Mr. Collins Dauda (Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources)
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu (Ministry of Communications)
Ms. Shirley Ayitey (Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology)

The full list of nominated Regional Ministers are;

Mr. Mahmood Khalid Upper West Region
Mr. Nyamekye Marfo Brong Ahafo Region
Nii Armah Ashitey Greater Accra Region
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo Eastern Region
Ms. Ama Benyiwa-Doe Central Region

A ‘True Democrat’ source at the Castle, Osu, says the President, J. E. A. Mills, has opted for a Presidential convoy of not more that three cars and two dispatch riders whenever he has to journey anywhere.

This is in line with the promise he made during the Presidential campaign to reduce the number of vehicles in the Presidential convoy if elected President of Ghana.

“For President Mills, it is not just about honouring a campaign promise but eschewing an opulent and ostentatious lifestyle. Flamboyance is not his style” the very reliable source said.

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President John Evans Atta Mills has said the appointment of Chief Executives and 30 per cent of the membership of District, Municipal and Metropolitan (MMDCES) Assemblies will be done in consultation with traditional rulers.

He observed that chieftaincy is at the core of the Ghanaian society, and reiterated that Government will collaborate with traditional authorities and put matters concerning traditional rulers on the front burner.

President Mills said this when a 13-member delegation of the National House of Chiefs called on him at the Castle, Osu, to congratulate him and Vice President John Dramani Mahama on their election.

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Vice President John Dramani Mahama will lead the official Ghana government delegation to the 12th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union scheduled for Addis Ababa from January 26 to February 3, 2009.

A release from the Office of the President signed by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr. Mahama Ayariga, said the Vice President would leave Accra on January 30 and return on February 4. The Summit will be on the theme: “Infrastructure Development in Africa”.

The President, His Excellency John Evans Atta Mills, has since Tuesday, January 13 this year, moved into the residential facility at the seat of Government at the Castle, Osu.

According to a communique from the Presidency, The President did not want to worsen the already severe traffic situation leading to his Regimanuel Estates home, noting that the use of his motorcade on that road will make things worse.

The death has been reported of Vice-Admiral E.O. Owusu-Ansah, the man appointed to Defence Minister by the Mills Administration on .

Vice-Admiral E.O. Owusu-Ansah, one-time Chief of Naval Staff (Oct 1996 – Mar 2001) had served in the Ghana Navy for 37 years. He was appointed into the Defence position on January 8, 2009, barely 24 hours after the new administration took office.

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