The reshuffle announced by President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday has hit the Upper West Region like a bombshell.
Dr Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, who was serving as Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, has been moved to the Presidency as Minister of State in charge of Special Initiatives.
In Wa and across the region, traders, tricycle riders, youth groups and NDC supporters who spoke to JoyNews expressed disappointment and anger, calling on the President to rescind the decision.
For many young people, their hopes of securing employment were tied to Dr Pelpuo’s presence at the Labour Ministry.
“Our livelihood and survival depend on Dr. Pelpuo,’’ tricycle operator Ahmed Jimba fumes.
Moving him from that ministry will truncate our dreams of getting employment,” trader Vida Dabagah said.
Others argue that the new portfolio – Special Initiatives at the Presidency – is little known to them and will bring little direct benefit to the region.
Beyond Dr Pelpuo, residents are raising a bigger concern: With a population of over 900,000, the Upper West Region currently has no Cabinet-level representation.
They are appealing to the President to either reverse the reshuffle or appoint an Upper Westerner to Cabinet. The political spin is already gaining momentum.
Supporters of the opposition NPP have questioned the NDC government’s loyalty to the region, despite the region giving the NDC a clean sweep of all 11 parliamentary seats in the 2024 elections.
They contrast this with the NPP era, when despite winning 5 seats in 2016 and 3 seats in 2020, the region was still rewarded with a substantive Cabinet Minister and a Deputy.
On social media, many have taken to chastising the government, asking whether the Upper West has “sold their dog for a monkey” – or in simple terms, traded their colour television for a black-and-white TV.
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