The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately reduce the number of ministers from the current 86 to 65 and to also reduce the number of political appointees at the Office of the President.
According to the Caucus, in the midst of Ghana’s economic crisis conventional wisdom teaches a responsible government must take basic steps and cut its coat according to its size in order for its behavior to reflect the terrible times.
The government, the Minority said, has carried on as usual as though there is nothing at stake and continues to add to the plight of the people with reckless abandon.
“In unison, Ghanaians have called for a reduction in the size of government, which 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.”
Minority leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Froson, who addressed the media in Parliament hours before the Appointments Committee began its public sitting disclosed that the government has continued to add more expense to the burden of the taxpayer instead of serious and impactful cuts in government expenditure.
He said, “It is unconscionable to note that Government has added a whopping GH¢82 billion to its expenditure for 2023 compared to 2022.”
“It is most shocking that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government continues to engage in profligate spending,” he said and cited several expenditures of the government last year running into hundreds of millions of cedis.
Ghanaians, he said, had hoped the seriousness of the economic situation would finally prompt a reduction in the size of government and that President Akufo-Addo will see wisdom in getting rid of the deadwood in his administration who have nothing to offer the country.
The Minority leader stated his side will participate in the vetting of the ministerial nominees but stressed they will not subscribe to a consensus vote at the level of the Committee but will ensure the matter is brought before the full House for a vote to be taken.
He stated that in addition to demands for the immediate reduction in the number of Ministers, the Caucus is also calling for the merger of some ministries, scrapping of all amorphous creations, and waste-pipe jobs for the boys’ appointments.
According to him, the work of these undefined, amorphous creations must revert to established entities in the civil and public service that perform similar and same functions.
Dr Ato Forson reiterated the Minority’s call to the President to dismiss Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta whose gross incompetence in managing the economy, he said, has assumed legendary status.
President Akufo-Addo, he said, must spare Ghanaians the agony of waking up tomorrow to see Ofori-Atta still in charge of the economy.