Elizabeth Ohene is board chair of SSNIT
• President Akufo-Addo has been making board appointments for his second term
• GhanaWeb count shows four journalists have received appointments
• Of the four, only Elizabeth Ohene is a politician
A number of practising and former journalists have recently been appointed to government boards.
Per GhanaWeb’s count, there are two current journalists and two veteran journalists who have received appointments to serve as board members or head boards.
Sakyi-Addo leads MDF board
The most recent is Kweku Sakyi-Addo, who was recently sworn in as board chairman for the 11-member board of the Minerals Development Fund, MDF.
MDF is a body created by a 2016 Act of Parliament (Act 912) with the primary aim of providing development projects for mining communities negatively impacted by the exploitation of their resources.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, Lands and Natural Resources Minister tasked the Sakyi-Addo-led board to focus on their terms of reference in order to better the lot of their focus communities.
Sakyi-Addo is former Joy FM and BBC journalist.
Elizabeth Ohene leads SSNIT board
Elizabeth Akua Ohene, a veteran journalist turned politician, was appointed by Akufo-Addo to head the board of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
Ohene and a dozen other members were inaugurated last month by Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The Minister tasked the new board to work in consolidating the gains of the previous board whiles ensuring that they keep focus on the retirement aspirations of the Ghanaian worker.
Sefa Kayi joins NPC board
Host of Kokrokro morning show on Peace FM, Kwame Sefa Kayi, is currently serving on the board of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
The board is chaired by Joe Addo-Yobo.
The chairman and other members were sworn into office at the NPA head office in Accra on August 6, 2021.
Other board members include Manuel Sawyyerr Esq., Clement Osei Amoako, Bernard Owusu and Dr Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah. NPA CEO, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid and Diana Mogre are part of the board members.
Paul Adom-Otchere heads GACL
Last month, TV show host Paul Adom-Otchere was appointed board chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL).
When he is eventually sworn in, the host of ‘Good Evening Ghana’ will lead a seven-member GACL board which includes Mr Yaw Kwakwa (GACL Managing Director), Teye Adjrackor, Philomina Sam and Kwabena Mantey Jectey Nyarko, nominees of the President.
The others are Francis Kofi Nunoo from the Ministry of Transport; and Group Captain Cervase Wienaa.
Adom-Otchere had previously served as a member of the board of the National Communications Authority (NCA) during the Akufo-Addo government’s first term.