Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister-designate for Government Communication and Member of Parliament for Abura Asebu Kwamankese, has addressed the concerns surrounding the lateness of Dr. Agness Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister-designate for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, during her swearing-in ceremony.
In an interview with TV3 on Saturday, January 25, 2025, Felix Kwakye Ofosu clarified that the delay was entirely due to circumstances beyond Dr. Lartey’s control and was not a result of any intentional oversight. He explained that the delay stemmed from President Akufo-Addo’s hectic schedule, which was further complicated by his impending international trip.
“The lateness was not in any way Dr. Lartey’s fault,” Felix said. “We understand the criticisms, but the situation was out of her hands. The President’s schedule was packed, and after returning from Ho, we had to rush to swear in additional ministers who had been vetted and approved by Parliament. We were in constant communication with Parliament to make sure we could proceed with as many swearing-ins as possible. We reached out to six MPs who had already been approved, but Dr. Lartey was out of Accra at the time. The other five nominees were able to arrive within 10 minutes, but unfortunately, Dr. Lartey could not make it.”
Felix urged the public and the media to reconsider the harsh criticism, emphasizing that the delay was a result of timing issues rather than any fault of the Minister-designate. He called for understanding, saying, “I kindly ask the media to ease their criticism as this was simply a matter of timing and circumstances.” The Minister-designate’s clarification aims to clear up any misunderstandings and to assure the public that Dr. Lartey is committed to her role despite the unfortunate timing of the event.
