Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson has formally handed over the administration of the Ministry of Defence to Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, bringing his year-long stint as acting Defence Minister to an end.
Dr. Forson was assigned the additional responsibility by President John Dramani Mahama in August 2025, following the death of the substantive Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, in a military helicopter crash.
The crash occurred on August 6, 2025, in the Adansi area of the Ashanti Region and claimed the lives of all eight people on board, including Dr. Omane Boamah and the then Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
Following the tragedy, President Mahama appointed Dr Ato Forson to act as Defence Minister while he continued in his substantive position as Finance Minister.
Dr. Ato Forson subsequently oversaw the affairs of the Defence Ministry for the past year, pending the appointment of a substantive minister.
In a Facebook post, Dr. Forson said, “I have just formally handed over the stewardship of the Ministry of Defence to Hon. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei. I leave this Ministry with deep gratitude, a profound sense of honour and the satisfaction of duty fulfilled.”
The transition follows President Mahama’s recent nomination of Kenneth Gilbert Adjei as the new Defence Minister.
The nomination was announced on August 7, 2026, with Mr. Adjei moving from the Ministry of Works and Housing to take charge of Defence.
Following the nomination and subsequent approval process, Mr. Adjei has now taken over responsibility for the ministry from Dr Ato Forson.
The two ministers signed the relevant handover documents to formally complete the transfer of responsibility.
Mr. Adjei is now expected to lead the Defence Ministry and oversee its operations, administration and policy direction.
The handover also allows Dr. Forson to return his full attention to the Finance Ministry, where he continues to serve as the substantive Minister for Finance.
The transition marks the end of an interim arrangement put in place after the tragic death of Dr. Omane Boamah and ushers in a new phase of leadership at the Defence Ministry.
