Felix Kwakye Ofosu defends Dr Johnson Asiama’s assumption of office as BoG Governor

The Minister-designate for Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has defended Dr Johnson Asiama’s assumption of office as Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), stating that President John Dramani Mahama followed the same approach used by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in appointing officials.

His comments come in response to Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who has called on Dr Asiama to halt his duties as Governor until his appointment is approved by the Council of State.

Afenyo-Markin, in a letter to President Mahama dated February 3, 2025, argued that Dr Asiama’s assumption of office before approval raises constitutional concerns, as the Council of State has not yet been constituted. He noted that if the Council were to reject the nomination, it would create complications regarding the decisions Dr Asiama had already made in office.

However, in a post on his X page, Felix Kwakye Ofosu dismissed the Minority Leader’s concerns, citing a precedent set by the previous government.

“The Minority Leader complains about Dr Johnson Asiama’s appointment as BoG Governor pending consultations with the yet-to-be-formed Council of State. Here is the same procedure used to appoint the Common Fund Administrator by Prez Akufo-Addo in 2017. What sayeth him on this?” Kwakye Ofosu posted.

Dr Asiama formally assumed office on Monday, February 3, 2025, and held his first meeting with senior executives of the central bank, despite opposition from the Minority. The debate over his appointment is expected to continue as Parliament engages with the matter in the coming days.