Mahama Reshuffles Cabinet: Two MPs Nominated as Ministers of State Following Deaths

President John Dramani Mahama has announced significant changes to his ministerial team, nominating two Members of Parliament to serve as Ministers of State and reassigning two existing ministers in response to vacancies created by deaths within his cabinet.

In a statement released on Friday, August 7, 2026, through Presidential Spokesperson Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Dr. Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings has been nominated as Minister of State at the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. Concurrently, Hon. Mahama Ayariga has been nominated as Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs. Both nominations are submitted to Parliament in accordance with Article 78(1) of the 1992 Constitution and require parliamentary approval before taking office.

The Background: Filling Critical Gaps

The ministerial reshuffle follows the tragic deaths of two serving ministers in a military helicopter crash on August 6, 2025. Former Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and former Minister of Environment, Science and Technology Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed both lost their lives in the incident, creating vacancies that the President has now moved to address.

To fill these gaps, President Mahama has also reassigned two existing ministers. Mr. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei has been transferred from the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to the Ministry of Defence, stepping into the position vacated by Dr. Boamah. Meanwhile, Ahmed Ibrahim, an MP, has been reassigned from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, taking the post vacated by Adjei's departure.

Who Are the New Nominees?

Dr. Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings brings parliamentary experience to her new role, while Hon. Mahama Ayariga, also an MP, brings his legislative background to the local government and religious affairs portfolio. The appointment of MPs to ministerial roles is consistent with Ghana's constitutional framework, which allows serving legislators to hold ministerial positions.

Why It Matters for Ghana

These ministerial changes are significant for Ghana's governance structure and service delivery across multiple sectors. The Defence Ministry, overseen by the reassigned Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, is critical to national security and the management of Ghana's armed forces. The Environment, Science and Technology Ministry, now led by Dr. Agyemang-Rawlings as Minister of State, oversees environmental policy and scientific innovation—areas increasingly important as Ghana addresses climate change and pursues technological development.

The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, now supported by Minister of State Mahama Ayariga, manages relationships between the state and traditional and religious authorities, which remain important to governance and social cohesion across Ghana's regions.

The appointments also signal continuity in the Mahama administration's agenda whilst demonstrating the President's ability to respond swiftly to vacancies and maintain the functioning of critical government institutions. The need for parliamentary approval underscores Ghana's constitutional checks and balances, with legislators reviewing the suitability of nominees before they assume their posts.

All ministerial changes are contingent upon Parliament's approval, which is expected to proceed in accordance with established procedures.