The New Patriotic Party, NPP, government suffered a huge political setback yesterday with the resignation of the Minister for Trade and Industry amidst a debilitating economic crisis facing the country.
Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, who has been in charge of Ghana’s Trade and Industry Ministry for the past six (6) years wrote a letter to President Nana Akufo-Addo on Thursday 5th January 2023, informing the Jubilee House of his decision to vacate his ministerial appointment at the Trade Ministry.
Consequently, a communication from the Jubilee House, dated January 6, 2023, and signed by the Communication Director, Eugene Arhin, said the President had accepted the resignation letter from the former Trade and Industry Minister Alan Kyerematen.
“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 6th January 2023, accepted the resignation from the office of Mr. Alan Kyerematen as Minister for Trade and Industry. this was after Mr. Kyerematen, on Thursday, 5th January, informed the President personally of his decision to resign, and subsequently submitted his resignation letter to him”, the statement intimated.
The President, the statement added, thanked Mr. Kyerematen for his services to his government and to the country, and wished him well in his future endeavors.
The Jubilee House statement also disclosed that the President has asked the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to act as caretaker Minister at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, until a substantive appointment is made.
Prior to his resignation, Mr. Kyerematen, who is also affectionately called Alan Cash by his political followers, had been rumored to harbor an ambition to run for the office of Ghana’s presidency after the departure of his boss, Nana Akufo-Addo, who is expected to step down in January 2025, after serving the maximum 2-term limit in office.
With an official unveiling of his campaign to contest for the presidential nomination of the NPP looming large on the horizon, this would not be the first rodeo for Mr. Kyerematen. His first official attempt to lead the NPP as the presidential candidate happened in 2007. He captured 32.3% of the votes cast by the delegates, becoming a runner-up to Nana Akufo-Addo who won with 47.96%.
Mr. Alan Kyerematen also ran for the leadership of the NPP in 2010 and 2014, but he was rejected by the NPP delegates on all those attempts, including losing to Nana Akufo-Addo in 2014 who won with over 94% of the total votes cast. When Mr. Kyeremayen officially enters the presidential race, it will be his fourth time.
Some political and economic analysts have expressed mixed feelings about the abrupt resignation of the former Cabinet Minister, who was very instrumental as a member of the country’s Economic Management Team (EMT). Some believe that Alan Cash was jumping ship and deserting his comrades at a very critical moment in Ghana’s economic struggles.
