The Herald has picked up reports of uneasy calm at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, over the activities of one of the Deputy Ministers, who is elbowing and disrespecting everyone, including his boss, Alan Kyerematen.
The latest allegation is that he planted a story in the media, announcing when the minister intends to resign to focus on his Presidential ambition, whilst claiming he is next in line to replace the minister.
This paper reports that, Herbert Krapa, who has been put in charge of business relations with the foreign institutions, has broken ranks with his colleagues and is not subject to any control and directives, and this is said to be affecting good working relations at the Trade Ministry.
The Herald is told of an incident where, Herbert Krapa rushed to Dubai as head of government delegation to the Expo 2020 Dubai, although his boss, Mr. Kyeremanten had put the Tema West Member of Parliament, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, in charge of the schedule as Commissioner General to represent the country.
Mr. Ahenkorah, had been in-charge of that schedule, whilst serving as Deputy Minister of Trade, under Mr. Kyerematen, and the latter had kept him in-charge even after President Akufo-Addo’s refusal to retain him in that office. The minister is said to have felt that keeping him in-charge of the role will ensure continuity.
It was also thought that Mr. Ahenkora,had learnt and understood the workings of the United Arab Emirates, and in a position to bring benefits to the country, however, Herbert Krapa, refused to allow him play the role, and went to replace him at the Expo 2020 Dubai, despite Mr. Kyerematen’s insistence to allow Mr. Ahenkora to remain in the position.
People who were there, described the development as very embarrassing for Ghana.
Additional reports are that, he has been usurping the roles and responsibilities of his colleague deputy ministers who are in charge of Operations and Domestic Industry, Michael Okyere-Baafi and Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah Adjei respectively, thus creating an unnecessary tension at the Ministry.
Privately, Mr. Kyeremanten is said to have bitterly complained about Herbert Krapa’s conduct in the Ministry, especially his attitude of holding himself as only loyal to President Akufo-Addo, instead of ensuring that the roles assigned all of them as appointee are well played.
A Ghanaweb publication which emerged on Monday, claiming that Mr. Kyeremanten, was preparing to handover to Herbert Krapa, has been rubbished as a figment of someone’s imagination as Mr. Kyeremanten will be the last person to do that, having tested his deputy’s gross insubordination.
According to the report, “while there are three deputies at the Ministry of Trade and Industry: Herbert Krapa, Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah Adjei and Michael Okyere-Baafi, GhanaWeb’s sources have confirmed that Herbert Krapa will be the president’s choice as a replacement”.
The feeling in the Trade Ministry is that the story was purposely planted by persons closer to Herbert Krapa, to have catch President Nana Akufo-Addo’s eye, to handover the Ministry to him when Mr. Kyerematen resigns to focus on his presidential ambition.
It said that “With pressure mounting on personalities hoping to vie for the flagbearer position of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to relinquish their positions in government, a GhanaWeb source close to one of the possible aspirants, Alan Kyerematen, has indicated that the Minister of Trade and Industry is set to resign in June this year”.
It quoted an unnamed source as having “authoritatively told GhanaWeb that in his stead, one of his deputies, Herbert Krapa, will be nominated for the position”.
The story went on to hype Herbert Krapa’s profile to suggest he is most qualified for the job against his other colleagues Michael Okyere-Baafi, the MP for New Juaben South and former Executive Secretary of the Ghana Free Zones Board, as well as Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah Adjei, who is the MP for Akuapem North in the Eastern Region.
“Alan Kyerematen has been highly tipped to run for the vacant position in the NPP, and with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo giving notice to his appointees interested in the slot to resign and focus on the race, the minister is set to do exactly that.
“ And while there are three deputies at the Ministry of Trade and Industry: Herbert Krapa, Naa Ama Dokua Asiamah Adjei and Michael Okyere-Baafi, GhanaWeb’s sources have confirmed that Herbert Krapa will be the president’s choice as a replacement.
“The NPP is yet to announce dates for the opening of nominations for its flagbearer contest but the battle of who leads the party into the next election is expected to be a two-man race between vice president Bawumia and Alan Kyerematen.
“Hon. Herbert Krapa is currently a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Trade and Industry. He is a governance and legal expert who served as Government Spokesperson on Governance and Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Information until December 2020.
“The Hon. Deputy Minister is an astute lawyer, called to the Ghana Bar in 2017, with experience in Trade and Investment Law, Commercial Law, Debt Restructuring, among others.
“He previously worked as a lawyer at Africa Legal Associates, a reputable law firm in Ghana.
“Hon. Krapa holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Ghana and a Master of Laws Degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK where he specialised in International Finance, Secured Financing, International Commercial Arbitration and Corporate Crime.
“He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Development Finance from the University of Ghana Business School and a Certificate in Human Rights Law from Fordham University in New York.
“He is a lecturer at the University Of Ghana School Of Law where his research focuses on both legal philosophy and global constitutionalism. Hon. Herbert Krapa is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, the Programme for African Leadership and the Criminal Justice Reform Ghana.
But The Herald, has picked up reports that the publication has generated tension at the Ministry, as it was seen as another disrespect to Mr. Kyerematen, and meant purposely to destabilize a seemingly good working environment at the Ministry.
More to come!
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