President John Dramani Mahama has made fresh changes to his government, reassigning Labour, Jobs and Employment Minister Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo to the Presidency as Minister of State in charge of Special Initiatives, while Ernest Brogya Genfi has also been moved from the Defence Ministry to a presidential advisory role.
The changes were announced on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, and take immediate effect, according to a statement from the Presidency signed by Minister for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
Under the new arrangement, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, who was previously Minister of State in charge of Special Initiatives, is being moved to the Labour, Jobs and Employment Ministry.
Mahama reshuffles government again
The latest Mahama reshuffle comes only weeks after the President made another set of changes to his administration.
In the earlier reshuffle announced on August 7, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei was moved from the Works, Housing and Water Resources Ministry to become Defence Minister, while Ahmed Ibrahim was reassigned from the Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry to the Works, Housing and Water Resources portfolio.
The latest changes therefore represent another adjustment to the structure and deployment of senior officials within the Mahama administration.
Unlike a complete change of Cabinet, Wednesday’s announcement focuses on specific ministerial and advisory positions.
Pelpuo gets new role at Presidency
Dr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, the Member of Parliament for Wa Central, will now serve as Minister of State in charge of Special Initiatives at the Office of the President.
He replaces Emmanuel Agyekum, who moves in the opposite direction to take responsibility for Labour, Jobs and Employment.
The reassignment gives Pelpuo a new responsibility within the Presidency after his tenure overseeing the Labour, Jobs and Employment portfolio.
Following the announcement, Pelpuo publicly welcomed the new role and thanked President Mahama for retaining him in government.
He said he had received numerous calls, particularly from people in the Upper West Region, following news of the reassignment and expressed appreciation to the President for keeping him involved in the administration’s agenda.
Brogya Genfi moved from Defence Ministry
Another major change involves Ernest Kofi Amankwa Brogya Genfi, who has been reassigned from his position as Deputy Minister for Defence to the Presidency.
He has been appointed Presidential Advisor on National Resilience and Emergency Preparedness.
The appointment takes immediate effect and brings an end to his tenure as Deputy Defence Minister, a position he had held since March 2025.
Brogya Genfi later expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the confidence placed in him and pledged his continued loyalty and commitment to his new assignment.
Why Brogya Genfi’s new role matters
His new portfolio places him in an advisory position focused specifically on national resilience and emergency preparedness.
The move is notable because Brogya Genfi served at the Defence Ministry during a period of significant transition following the death of the substantive Defence Minister, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, and seven others in the August 2025 military helicopter crash.
In his reaction to the appointment, Brogya Genfi reflected on the responsibility he carried during that period and thanked officials and personnel of the Defence Ministry and Ghana Armed Forces for their support.
Emmanuel Agyekum takes over Labour Ministry
With Pelpuo moving to the Presidency, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum is expected to take over the Labour, Jobs and Employment portfolio.
Agyekum previously served as Minister of State in charge of Special Initiatives, meaning the latest changes effectively see the two officials exchange their respective responsibilities.
The changes also demonstrate the President’s continued adjustment of government portfolios as the administration enters its second term.
For now, the Presidency has not provided a detailed explanation for why each of the latest reassignments was made.
That means it would be inappropriate to attribute specific political or administrative reasons to the changes unless the Presidency or the affected ministers provide further explanations.
What the latest reshuffle means for Mahama’s government
The latest changes come at a time when the Mahama administration is implementing several major policy programmes, including the 24-Hour Economy, while also dealing with economic, employment and security-related challenges.
The Labour, Jobs and Employment Ministry is particularly important because employment remains one of the administration’s major policy concerns.
Pelpuo’s move to the Presidency could therefore place him in a role where he works more directly on initiatives coordinated from the centre of government, while Agyekum assumes responsibility for the employment portfolio.
The effectiveness of the changes will ultimately depend on how quickly the affected officials settle into their new assignments and translate the new responsibilities into measurable outcomes.
Mahama Reshuffles Ministers Again: Pelpuo Moved – Key details at a glance
- Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
- President: John Dramani Mahama.
- Rashid Pelpuo: Moved from Labour, Jobs and Employment to Minister of State for Special Initiatives.
- Emmanuel Agyekum: Moving from Special Initiatives to Labour, Jobs and Employment.
- Brogya Genfi: Moved from Deputy Defence Minister to Presidential Advisor on National Resilience and Emergency Preparedness.
- Effective: Immediately.
- Previous reshuffle: Announced on August 7, 2026.
FAQ
Who has Mahama reshuffled today?
President Mahama has reassigned Rashid Pelpuo, Emmanuel Agyekum and Ernest Brogya Genfi in the latest changes announced on August 26, 2026.
What is Rashid Pelpuo’s new position?
Rashid Pelpuo has been moved to the Office of the President as Minister of State in charge of Special Initiatives.
What is Brogya Genfi’s new role?
Ernest Brogya Genfi is now Presidential Advisor on National Resilience and Emergency Preparedness after being reassigned from the Defence Ministry.
President Mahama’s latest changes mark another adjustment to his administration only weeks after the previous reshuffle. With Pelpuo moving to the Presidency, Agyekum taking over Labour, Jobs and Employment, and Brogya Genfi assuming a new advisory role, attention will now turn to how the changes affect the government’s delivery of its priorities.
More on GhanaTrends
Other reportage: MyJoyOnline report on the reshuffle and Graphic Online report on the ministerial changes
