President Nana Akufo-Addo has directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to remain at post until new ones are appointed.
According to a communiqué signed by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Opare, the MMDCEs have also been warned against taking any policy-related decisions.
“You are to take note of the provision of section 14 (5) of the Presidential (Transition) Act (2012) which states that you shall not take a decision involving a policy issue,” the notice said.
The notice from the Chief of Staff also made reference to prior directives on financial commitments and recruitments.
Currently, some ministers in the previous Akufo-Addo administration have been named as caretaker ministers until the President makes new appointments for his second term.
The individuals asked to be in their previous portfolios include Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, former Minister for Information; Alan Kyerematen, former Minister for Trade and Industry; Ken Ofori-Atta, former Finance Minister, Dominic Nitiwul; former Minister of Defence, Ambrose Dery, former Minister for Interior; Albert Kan Dapaah, former National Security Minister; and Hajia Alima Mahama, former Local Government Minister.
They were also directed not to take decisions on policy matters and barred from engaging in any financial commitments, recruitments or contracts within the period.
Per the Transition Act of 2012, all ministers, deputy ministers, presidential staffers, such as the Chief of Staff and the Executive Secretary to the President, and non-career Ambassadors and High Commissioners ceased to hold office when the President’s tenure of office expired on January 7, 2021.
