Owusu-Adjapong nominated for Energy

Frontpage, March 20, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu Gyamerah
President J.A. Kufuor has nominated the former Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Felix Kwasi Owusu-Adjapong as the Minister of Energy.
His nomination ends months of speculation that the substantive Minister of Energy, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, has been removed from office.
The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alhaji Malik Alhassan Yakubu, announced Mr Owusu-Adjapong’s nomination in Parliament yesterday evening.
The House was debating a report on the purchase of equipment for the Ghana Air Force when Alhaji Yakubu suddenly made the announcement from the Presidency, which was treated with “Hear! Hear!” from both sides of the House.
Some Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Minority side, apparently stunned by the turn of events, shouted, “Oh Adda, what happened?”
Mr Adda, who was in the house when the announcement was made, smiled and remained calm in his seat.
The nomination has been referred to the Appointments Committee of the House for consideration.
In December, a local FM radio station speculated that the minister had been relieved of his post. However, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mrs Oboshie Sai Cofie, said he was just on an extended leave period.
Mr Adda had since not been seen performing any public assignments.
He was conspicuously absent when new oil finds were announced in February this year and during the subsequent oil conference.
He was at first the Minister of Manpower Development, Youth and Employment and during his tenure the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) was initiated. He was moved to the Ministry of Energy in April 2006.
His tenure as Energy Minister was characterised by a year of nation-wide power black outs, resulting in calls for his removal.