Merge Ministries; Minority Caucus Tells Gov’t

The Minority in Parliament has called on the government to merge some of its ministries and cut its government size as a way of proving its part in the burden-sharing campaign.

At a press conference on February 20, 2023, the MPs from the opposition side said the current size of government is a major “guzzler of public funds”. 

“The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is doing the exact opposite of the reasonable, common-sense approach needed to reverse the horrific decline of our economy and its corresponding effect on the quality of life of Ghanaians.”

It wants the government size reduced from 86 to 65 with the Information and Communication Ministries merged; Transport and Railways Ministries merged; Chieftaincy and Tourism Ministries merged; and the Sanitation and Local government Ministries merged.

The caucus wants the number of political appointees at the Office of the President also reduced.

Additionally, it wants appointments like the Youth Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs; Policy Associate; Chief Executive of Public Sector Reforms; Overseer of the National Cathedral; Church Relations Manager; Diaspora Church Mobilization Officer; Policy & Coordinator Analyst; Focal Person, La Francophonie; Technical Director, La Francophonie; Coordinator, Special Development Initiatives Secretariat; Director of Special Projects; Manager of Operations & Programs; 5 Technical Communications Assistants; Technical Advisor, Zongo Development Authority; 2 Technical Advisors, Special Development Initiatives Secretariat; Technical Advisor, Political Affairs; Presidential Staffer, NABCO; Office Management Executive Associate; Technical Director to the Presidential Advisor on Media and; Data Manager scrapped.

Finally, it called for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta.

These demands come as six Ministerial nominees are being vetted this week by the Appointment Committee of Parliament.

President Akufo-Addo nominated Kobina Tahiru Hammond for the position of Minister of Trade and Industry; Bryan Acheampong, for the position of Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Stephen Asamoah Boateng for the position of Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.

Dr Mohammed Anim Adam was nominated for the position of Minister of State at the Finance Ministry; Osei Bonsu Amoah for the position of Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Decentralisation and Dr Stephen Amoah for the position of Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.

Ahead of their vetting, the leadership of the NDC announced in a press statement said it had ordered its MPs not to approve any of the nominees. 

At the press conference, the Minority said it would not “subscribe to a consensus vote at the level of the Appointment Committee” to ensure the matter is referred to the plenary for a secret vote.

“We in the Minority wish to make it clear that we remain committed to ensuring greater scrutiny and will spare no effort to protect the public purse. In line with this, we are taking part in the vetting process so that at the very minimum, we can scrutinize the President’s decision in bringing up those nominees. However, the Minority will not subscribe to a consensus vote at the level of the Appointments Committee. This will ensure that the matter is brought before the full House for a vote to be taken in secret.”

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini