The development was made public in a statement by the Presidency last week. If approved by Parliament’s appointment committee, Awal will replace Barbara Oteng Gyasi who has led the ministry since February 2019. He would be the third minister from Akufo-Addo’s government to head the department.
“President Akufo-Addo is hopeful that Parliament will see to the prompt approval of his nominees so that they can assist in the delivery of his mandate for his second term in office,” the statement reads.
Oteng Gyasi lost her parliamentary seat for the Prestea-Huni Valley constituency in Ghana’s Western Region following last month’s general elections, adding to more than 20 ministerial appointees of the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government who lost their parliamentary seats.
She is also among a number of first-term ministers who failed to maintain their portfolios following Akufo-Addo’s re-election on 7 December 2020.
Awal made Akufo-Addo’s first selection of some 46 nominees expected to serve in ministerial positions during his second presidential term.
Awal’s previous roles include minister of business development, and was the former managing director of Graphic Communications Group and Chase Petroleum. He was also CEO of the Marble Group, which comprises the Finder Group of Newspapers, HMW Printers, Marble Consultants and Marble Developers.
In 2018, he was named Ghana’s top performing minister by research company FAKS Investigative Services. The following year, the World Business Angels Investment Forum selected him as the Most Business-Oriented African Minister for his role in “encouraging and enhancing startups and bringing the startup agenda at the centre of government policy.”
Thursday’s statement also revealed a reduction in the size of Akufo-Addo’s government, including the dissolution of seven “special-purpose” ministries. They include ministries in charge of aviation, business development, inner-city and Zongo development, monitoring and evaluation, planning, regional re-organisation and development, and special development initiatives.