The B&FT can authoritatively report that, the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson P. Asiama, has resigned from his position barely two years after being appointed to the position.
Information available to the B&FT indicates that, the now former governor of the central bank tendered in his resignation on the last working day of 2017 being December 29, a day he was last seen at the central bank and the resignation was to take effect on first working day in the new year, January 2, 2018.
Dr. Asiama’s resignation comes, after earlier media reports suggested that,he had resigned because there were moves by the Government to push him out of office.
The story of his initial resignation was denied by the governor of the Bank of Ghana and the government, who indicated that, he was at post but was on 10-day leave.
President John Mahama appointed Dr. Johnson P. Asiama as the second deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana on April 5, 2016, after Dr Nashiru Issahaku who held the position was elevated to the governorship position when the then governor, Dr Henry Kofi Wampah resigned ahead of his retirement.
Prior to his appointment as the 2nd Deputy Governor of the central bank, Dr. Asiama was the assistant director at the Economics Department of the Bank of Ghana, where he coordinated the work of the Monetary Policy Committee and supported the work of the governors directly.
He holds a PHD (Economics) from the University of Southampton, UK and an MPHIL (Economics) from the University of Ghana, Legon.
Dr. Asiama also previously served as director of the Macroeconomic Management Department at the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) in Lagos, Nigeria between 2010 and 2013.
He was born on May 5, 1968 and joined the Bank of Ghana in 1996.
Who takes over
The B&FT has gathered that, the government is currently considering two names in relation to who joins the team at the Bank of Ghana to occupy the now vacant position.
One of the two is said to be Mrs. Josephine Anan Ankomah, wife of popular lawyer Ace Anan Ankomah who is the Managing Director for Ecobank Gambia.
Though the government has kept the second name under consideration close to its chest, sources within government have hinted of a strong support for Mrs. Anan Ankomah to be appointed as the second deputy governor of the central bank.
Some industry experts have urged the government to quickly name a replacement for Dr. Johnson P. Asiama, the out-gone second deputy governor of the central bank, a decision which is expected in the coming days.
The appointment of a new person to the position of the second deputy governorship position will mean that, the NPP government on assumption of office in January 7, 2017 has replaced the trio (governors) at the Bank of Ghana.
