By:tntnewspaprgh.com

The recent reassignment of Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, to the Ministry of Works and Housing by President John Dramani Mahama has attracted mixed reactions from a cross section of Ghanaians, especially the stakeholders in the local governance system.

The reassignment of Mr Ahmed Ibrahim has not gone down well with the majority of members and their presiding members, as well as agencies working with the ministry, because of his good works and excellent working relationship.

Mr.Ahmed Ibrahim

One of Ghana’s longest-serving Assembly members who doubles as National Vice President for NALAG and the Presiding Member (PM) for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Mr Patrick Kwame Frimpong, said they would have wished President Mahama maintain Mr.Ahmed Ibrahim to continue with his good initiatives and implementation of policies by the Government instead of reassigning him to different Ministry.

Mr.Patrick Kwame Frimpong

“I have served as assembly member since 2006 to date, and I can tell you that the majority of assembly members and presiding members, as well as many agencies working with the Local Government ministry, are not happy about the change of Ahmed Ibrahim.

Even though the president has the prerogative per the 1992 constitution to appoint and disappoint his ministers, we would have wished he had maintained Ahmed Ibrahim at the Local Government Ministry.Mr Frimpong, who is also the Dean of the Conference of Presiding Members in the Ashanti region and an elected Assembly member for the Krofrom East electoral area, comments, ‘Following the statement signed by Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Presidential Spokesperson and Minister for Government Communications, announcing the reassignment.’

It would be recalled that President John Dramani Mahama reassigned the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, to head the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources.

Mr Ibrahim, who is also the Member of Parliament for Banda Constituency in the Bono Region, will take over from Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, who previously served as the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources.

Mr Patrick Kwame Frimpong, who’s also a former sub-Metro chairperson for Manhyia South, said the reassignment of Mr Ahmed Ibrahim is similar to what former President John Agyekum Kufuor did by reassignment of the late Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu from the Ministry ofLocal Government and Rural Development to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and subsequently to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in January 2005, taking over the portfolio from Yaw Osafo-Maafo during the start of Kufuor’s second presidential term.

It is recalled that late Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, who was also the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, was nominated as the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development on 9th January, 2001, by former President John Agyekum Kufuor, and after working assiduously to the admiration of the majority of Ghanaians, he was reassigned.

Mr Patrick Kwame Frimpong said it is painful that, similarly, even though Mr Ahmed Ibrahim has not gotten 2 years at the Ministry since his appointment as president, he has done well to the commendation of many stakeholders, especially Assembly members.Mr Ahmed Ibrahim’s reassignment has affected local governance, assembly members, and agencies that deal with the ministry.

According to him, Mr Ibrahim’s performance and contributions to the effectiveness of the local government system as a minister have been very impressive.

He played an instrumental role in ensuring the implementation of allowances to Assembly members across the country. The first in its kind since the decentralisation process. As we speak now, the outgoing minister has worked hard to ensure procurement of motor bicycles for assembly members to facilitate their work.

Besides, information flow under his administration has been excellent; frequent updates on the disbursement of the district assembly common fund and other necessary information to the Assembly members and other agencies which deal with the Ministry are needed to work effectively.

According to Mr Frimpong, even though all former Local Government Ministers did their best,

“I think this is the second sector minister apart from the late Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, whose reassignment has received disapproval of the majority of Assembly members and agencies which deal with the Ministry.”He also acknowledged the pivotal role of Kwabena Ahwoi in the establishment of the local government system in Ghana.

“As for Kwabena Ahwoi, he pioneered the local government and decentralisation process in Ghana.”He therefore seized the opportunity to urge Mr Mahama Ayariga to do his best and fill the big vacuum; Mr Ahmed Ibrahim’s exit is going to be created in the sector.

“I wish Mr. Ayariga would quickly learn from his predecessor, continue his good initiatives, and add more to ensure effective local governance and a decentralisation system.