President appoints new heads for GWL, NDPC, FIC
President John Dramani Mahama has appointed Development Economist, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, and finance expert, Albert Kwadwo Twum Boafo, as the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), respectively.
The President has further appointed a medical doctor and former Deputy Health Minister, Dr Victor Bampoe, as the CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), while Adam Mutawakilu occupies the acting Managing Director of the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) role.
A statement signed by the acting Spokesperson to the President, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said Dr Thompson’s appointment was pending consultations with the Council of State while Mr Boafo awaited the reconstitution of the FIC Board.
The appointments by the President signify strategic leadership decisions in national planning and financial oversight.
They also reflect the President’s vision for economic development and financial integrity, ensuring effective governance and institutional efficiency.
Roles
The NDPC is responsible for guiding long-term development policies, coordinating economic strategies and ensuring sustainable national growth.
As chairman of the NDPC, the statement emphasised that Dr Thompson will collaborate closely with the Minister of Finance, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), the Government Statistician, and other presidential appointees and representatives from the 16 regions to provide strategic advice to President Mahama and Parliament for national development.
“From 2014 to 2015, Dr Thompson led Ghana's technical delegations to the UN to develop the SDGs and subsequently guided their integration into Ghana's national development agenda,” it added.
New FIC head
Mr Boafo, who is also a Civil Engineer, will lead efforts in combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes, enhancing financial transparency and security.
The former Chief Executive of the Ghana Free Zones Authority between 2009 and 2017 holds a BEng in Materials Engineering from the University of Wales, an MSc in Civil Engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, and an MBA in Finance and Investment Analysis from Stetson University, Deland, Florida, USA.
The FIC is the national centre for the receipt and analysis of suspicious transaction reports and other information relevant to predicate offences of Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing and Proliferation Financing (ML/TF&P) and disseminating actionable intelligence to competent authorities.
Ghana Water Limited
For his part, Mr Mutawakilu will serve as the acting GWL Managing Director, pending approval by the Board, in consultation with the Public Services Commission.
A statement signed by the Chief Manager, Public Relations and Communication of GWL, Stanley Martey, said his appointment by President John Dramani Mahama was in accordance with Article 195(1) of the 1992 Constitution.
Addressing staff for the first time in his new role, Mr Mutawakilu expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and emphasised his commitment to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to achieve the company’s objectives.
Critical role
He acknowledged the critical role of GWL in ensuring quality, continuous and uninterrupted water supply to all communities, particularly those in underserved and unserved areas.
“I may not have an extensive background in water management, but I bring experience in energy, finance and governance, and I am eager to learn from and work with the dedicated professionals at Ghana Water Limited,” he stated.
He said the collective efforts of the management and the staff would be crucial in achieving the vision of the President in ensuring that no community was left behind when it came to access to potable water.
The statement said, “Mr Mutawakilu brings a wealth of experience in public administration, finance, and governance.”
He holds an MSc in Development Finance from the University of Ghana and an MSc in Energy Economics from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
It said he also pursued an MPhil in Petroleum and Oil Studies at the University of Cape Coast.
His extensive academic background includes a Commonwealth Executive Master’s in Business Administration from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and an Executive Certificate in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana School of Governance and Leadership.
Prior to his appointment, Mr Mutawakilu served as the first Member of Parliament for the Damongo Constituency (2013–2020) and was a Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee in Parliament.
He previously worked as the District Chief Executive for West Gonja District and as Head of Treasury at the University for Development Studies (UDS) Central Administration.
The statement said GWL remained committed to providing sustainable and reliable water supply to all communities across the country while implementing innovative solutions and strengthening service delivery to meet the growing needs of Ghanaians.
"GWL expresses its full support for Mr Mutawakilu and the President’s vision for the water sector, and looks forward to a productive and transformative tenure under his leadership," it said.
NHIA boss
The newly appointed NHIA CEO, Dr Bampoe, succeeds Dr Da Costa Aboagye, who was appointed in February 2024.
A seasoned physician and public health expert, Dr Bampoe brings extensive experience in global health policy and financing.
A former student of Achimota School, he earned his medical degree from the University of Ghana Medical School before pursuing a Master of Public Health at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health in the United States.
Dr Bampoe’s career spans both national and international healthcare institutions. He previously served as a Senior Fund Portfolio Manager at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in Geneva, Switzerland.
In June 2014, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Health under the Mahama administration, where he played a pivotal role in strengthening Ghana’s healthcare policies and improving access to health services.
Before this appointment, he also worked with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), representing countries such as Nigeria, and most recently, Kenya, where he was the UNAIDS Country Director and UNAIDS Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat.