President John Dramani Mahama has reassigned the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, to the Ministry of Defence as part of a ministerial reshuffle announced on Friday, August 7, 2026.
The move fills the vacancy created by the death of the late Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, who served as Minister of Defence from January 2025 until his passing in a Ghana Armed Forces helicopter crash on August 6, 2025, in the Adansi Akrofuom area of the Ashanti Region. Dr. Omane Boamah died alongside seven others while on official duty.
In the same reshuffle, President Mahama has nominated Dr. Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for the Klottey-Korle Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, as Minister of Environment, Science and Technology.
This appointment replaces the late Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, who was serving as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and also died in the same helicopter crash on August 6, 2025.
Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for the Bawku Central Constituency in the Upper East Region and Majority Leader of Parliament, has been nominated as Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
Ahmed Ibrahim, Member of Parliament for the Banda Constituency in the Bono Region and the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has been reassigned to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources.
In a statement from the Presidency Communications, President Mahama, acting in accordance with Article 78(1) of the Constitution, submitted the names to Parliament through the Speaker for prior approval.
Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, who previously served as Deputy Minister of Defence between 2015 and 2017 during Mahama’s earlier administration, will now take charge of the Defence portfolio after holding the Works, Housing and Water Resources position since early 2025.
The changes form part of the first significant cabinet adjustments under the current Mahama administration. Parliamentary approval is required before the nominees can formally assume their roles.