ACCRA, Feb 14 (Reuters) – Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has replaced the finance minister in a cabinet reshuffle amid criticism of his handling of the country’s economic problems.

The move, announced on Wednesday by the president’s office, comes ahead of an election in December.

Outgoing finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been overseeing the government’s debt restructuring efforts as the West African country tries to emerge from its worst economic crisis in a generation.

Akufo-Addo’s office said Ofori-Atta would be replaced by Mohammed Amin Adam, currently the minister of state at the finance ministry.

Amin Adam previously served as the deputy energy minister responsible for the petroleum sector.

Akufo-Addo chose Ofori-Atta as his finance minister when he became head of state in 2017, pledging to create jobs, fight poverty and boost economic growth by cutting taxes and red tape.

Ofori-Atta has been heavily criticised by protesters and lawmakers from the opposition and his own party for his handling of Ghana’s economic woes.

(Reporting by Christian Akorlie and Maxwell Akalaare Adombila; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian and Nellie Peyton; Editing by Alexander Winning and Angus MacSwan)