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Nana Addo unveils 'shadow cabinet'

The appointees will head various committees of the party and articulate the party's position on governance, politics and economics.

 

Flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo Addo, has appointed 18 people to head various sector committees of the party’s campaign.

The committees will be made up of 150 people, and heads of the committees are expected to articulate the party’s position in their respective areas, contribute to the party’s manifesto and defend the party’s message.

Some political analysts have described it as his 'shadow cabinet.'

Shockingly, the list includes only three women in an era where gender activists are pushing for greater say in political appointments and governance.

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Vice presidential candidate of the party, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, will head the economic committee of the party.  The choice of Bawumia is not surprising because he has been at the forefront of articulating the party's position on the economy. Arguably, he is the party's foremost economists, having served as deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana and later help reformed Zimbabwe's tattered economy. He will be aided by Kwaku Kwarteng(MP for Obuasi West) and Dr Anthony Osei Akoto (MP for Old Tafo).

The choice of Alan Kyerematen to head the Trade and Industry committee is not surprising considering his vast knowledge in trade issues. A corporate executive, a diplomat and an international public servant specializing in global trade issues, Kyerematen was the Ghanaian Ambassador to the U.S.A and later Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development (PSD) and the Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI), under the erstwhile  Kufour administration.

Mr Kyerematen served as a trade advisor at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he coordinated the African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC).

In 2012, Ghana nominated Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen for the post of WTO Director-General to succeed the out-going Director-General, Pascal Lamy and his candidature received the backing of the African Union (AU).

However, he did not make the shortlist for the final selection process in 2013.

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The committee on agriculture will be headed by Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto. He is currently the minority spokesman on agriculture in parliament.

Hon. Stephen Asamoah Boateng heading the employment committee is quite surprising considering his background in activism.

He served as Minister of Local Government Rural Development and Environment, Tourism and Diaspora Relations and later as Minister of Information and National Orientation under president John Agyekum Kufour's administration.

Heading the energy committee is Mr. Boakye Agyarko. He was the campaign manager of Nana Addo in the 2012 elections. He has a solid record in banking and finance. He was until 2011, the vice president of the Bank of New York. He is a regular panelists of pro NPP station Oman Fm where he most  often show up to discuss energy related issues.

Hon. Kwabena Owusu Aduomi  heads the party's committee on roads and highways. Until he was elected as a member of parliament for Ejisu-Juaben, he served as the Ashanti regional director of the Ghana Highway Authority.

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Joe Ghartey is a lawyer by profession and the current second deputy speaker of parliament. He has been appointed to serve on  Infrastructure (Communications, Maritime and Railways, Water & Housing) committee.

Ghartey was appointed Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice in March 2005. He was appointed the substantive Minister in April 2006, a position he held until January 2009.

Hon. Christine Churcher is heading the party's committee on Natural Resources. She served as the minister of environment and science in president Kufour's administration.

Dr. Daniel Anleu-Mwine Bagah, relatively unknown within the party, will head the education committee.

Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh  heads the party's Health Committee. He is also the minority spokesman on health in parliament. He is a Medical Doctor by training. He is also the MP for Manhyia South Constituency.

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The former head of the National Cardiothoracic Center and the Ghana Red Cross Society, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng heads the committee on Science, Technology, Innovation & Environment.

Frimpong-Boateng was elected a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in December 2002.

The committee on local government is led by Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama. She is also the MP for the Nalerigu Constituency.

Between May 2001 and April 2003 Hajia Alimah Mahamah was Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Local Government.

Between May 2003 and in January 6, 2005, she was Deputy Minister of Commerce, Industry and special initiatives of the President (now the Ministry of Trade and Industry).

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From January 2005 to January 2009 she was official successor Gladys Asmah at the Ministry of affairs of women and children.

Hon. Isaac Osei, one time Ghana High Commissioner to the UK, heads the committee on Foreign Affairs. He was also the former CEO of COCOBOD and the current MP for Subin constituency in the Ashanti region.

Mr. J. Ayikoi Otoo will head the committee on governance. He briefly served as Attorney General in the Kufour administration. He later served on the party's committee on constitutional and legal affairs in the run up to the 2012 elections.

Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu is the current chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of parliament. He is also the MP for Dormaa Central Constituency in the Brong Ahafo region.  He is an accountant by profession and will serve on the party's committee on Public Accountability.

Hon. Dominic Nitiwul  heads the party's committee on security. He is also the current deputy minority leader of parliament. He holds MBA (Finance) from Glamorgan University, Wales and LLM (Corporate Finance) University of Westminister, London.

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Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful's  choice as the head Gender, Disabilities and Children committee is not surprising. She is the foremost gender activists in the country. She is the MP  for Ablekuma West constituency in the Greater Accra region.

Hon. Isaac Asiamah  will head the sports committee. He is currently the MP for Atwima Mponua constituency in the Ashanti region and chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on sports.

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