This is the second time that John Dramani Mahama has been President of Ghana. His first term in government was when he succeeded the government of President John Atta Mills, who died in office in 2012. Mahama has remained as the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress since the death of Atta Mills. After winning the 2012 Ghanaian general election, he got to form his own government. He lost the 2016 Ghanaian general election and went into opposition for the following eight years. In the 2024 Ghanaian general election, he beat the New Patriotic Party candidate who was also the incumbent vice president of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia to become the president once again.
Mahama promised to reduce the size of the government in comparison to the outgoing one led by Nana Akufo-Addo and cap the number of ministers at 60. 42 nominees of Mahama were presented to the Appointments Committee of the Parliament of Ghana for vetting. The first two batches of six ministers completed their vetting on 21 January 2025 and were sworn in the next day by Mahama. The next two batches of a further six ministers completed their vetting on 23 January 2025. This included Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, MP for Krowor who missed the swearing in ceremony for personal reasons. This brought to 11 the number of ministers who had been cleared to start work. Following their vetting, a further six ministers and eight regional ministers were sworn in on 30 January by President Mahama. On 7 February 2025, an additional 14 ministers were sworn in bringing the total number of ministers in Mahama's government to 42.
Unfortunately, two ministers were among those who died when the helicopter in which they were travelling to Obuasi from Accra crashed. They were the Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and the Environment, Science and Technology Minister, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed who was also MP for Tamale Central. Following the crash, President Mahama appointed the Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson as acting Defence Minister. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources was also asked to act as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
Note: Ministers without a start date have not yet been sworn into office.