Former Defence Minister and Bimbilla Member of Parliament, Dominic Nitiwul, stated that Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Klottey-Korle, was never a strong contender for the Defence Ministry, despite speculation about her potential appointment. His remarks came in response to President John Dramani Mahama’s recent ministerial reshuffle, which saw Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings nominated as Minister-designate for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, while Kenneth Gilbert Adjei was named Defence Minister-designate.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, August 7, Nitiwul pointed out that indications from political and government circles suggested that Mr. Adjei was the preferred choice for the Defence Ministry. “She stood no chance at all, especially since last month in July when information started circulating. The information we received consistently indicated that she had no real chance,” he said. Nitiwul added that the options available for Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings were more aligned with a ministerial role outside the Defence portfolio, particularly in the Environment Ministry, where she has now been nominated.
“Anybody who was in the midst of those working with the minister, or who put his ears on the ground, knew that the replacement for the Minister of Defence was going to come in July and that it would be Ken,” he said. Nitiwul added that Mr Adjei had been among the contenders for the position from the early stages of the current administration, making his appointment unsurprising.
However, he acknowledged that the final decision rested with President Mahama and urged Ghanaians to assess the new minister based on his performance in office. “Ultimately, the President is the one who decides, and he has decided this is what I want, and we all move on with it. Let’s see how the performance will go, but it’s a tough job for him,” he said.
Source: Patricia Boakye
