The 25-year-old forward, who plays for Lorient in Ligue 1, was a surprise omission as coach Avram Grant trimmed his list to the final 23.
Striker Asamoah Gyan, of Al Ahly in the United Arab Emirates, will captain the team, assisted by West Ham United midfielder Andre Ayew.
Newcastle United's Christian Atsu  is also part of the squad.
The Black Star reached the final of the last edition in 2015 but lost on penalties to Ivory Coast.
Atsu, goalkeeper Razak Brimah, who plays for Cordoba in Spain, Baba Rahman, currently on loan from Chelsea at Schalke 04 and Panathinaikos midfielder Mubarak Wakaso all played in the final two years.
Four-time winners Ghana are in Group D with World Cup qualifying rivals Egypt and Uganda as well as Mali.
They have been training in Dubai for the tournament, which runs from 14 January to 5 February.
Ghana squad:
Goalkeepers: Razak Brimah (Cordoba/ESP), Abdul-Fatau Dauda (Enyimba/NGR), Richard Ofori (Wa All Stars)
Defenders: Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew/USA), Andy Yiadom (Barnsley/ENG), Baba Rahman (Schalke/GER), Frank Acheampong (Anderlecht/BEL), John Boye (Sivasspor/TUR), Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew/USA), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City/ENG), Edwin Gyimah (Orlando Pirates/RSA)
Midfielders: Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese/ITA), Afriyie Acquah (Torino/ITA), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid/ESP)  Mubarak Wakaso (Panathinaikos/GRE), Christian Atsu (Newcastle United/ENG), Ebenezer Ofori (AIK Stockholm/SWE), Samuel Tetteh (Leifering/AUT)
Forwards: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ahly/UAE), Jordan Ayew (Aston Villa/ENG), Andre Ayew (West Ham/ENG), Ebenezer Assifuah (Sion/SUI), Bernard Tekpetey (Schalke/GER)
Striker Abdul Majeed Waris has been left out of the Ghana squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.