Minority Demand Merger Of Ministries To Ease Burden On Public Purse

The Minority in Parliament has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to merge some ministries and reduce the number of staffers under his leadership.

The demand which comes ahead of the ministerial nominees’ vetting on Monday, was predicated on lessening the burden on the public purse.

The Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson raised issues with government expenditure at a presser on Monday, February 20.

“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,” the Minority indicated.

They demanded the government takes certain actions.

Below is a list of what they are requesting of the government;

1. The immediate reduction in the number of Ministers from the current 86 to 65

2. The merger of Ministries. For example,

i. Information and Communication
ii. Transport and Railways
iii. Chieftaincy and Tourism
iv. Sanitation and Local government

3. The immediate reduction in the number of political appointees at the Office of the President.

4. Immediate scrapping of all amorphous creations and waste-pipe, job-for-the-boys’ appointments since the assumption of office of President Akufo Addo in 2017.

“The work of those undefined, amorphous creations must revert to established entities in the civil and public service that perform similar, if not the same functions,” they argued.

Some of these bizarre portfolios at the office of the president
are:

1. Youth Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs
2. Policy Associate
3. Chief Executive of Public Sector Reforms
4. Overseer of the National Cathedral
5. Church Relations Manager
6. Diaspora Church Mobilization Officer
7. Policy & Coordinator Analyst
8. Focal Person, La Francophonie
9. Technical Director, La Francophonie
10. Coordinator, Special Development Initiatives
Secretariat
11. Director of Special Projects
12. Manager of Operations & Programs
13. 5 Technical Communications Assistants
14. Technical Advisor, Zongo Development Authority
15. 2 Technical Advisors, Special Development
Initiatives Secretariat
16. Technical Advisor, Political Affairs
17. Presidential Staffer, NABCO
18. Office Management Executive Associate
19. Technical Director to the Presidential Advisor on
Media
20. Data Manager

Earlier, the opposition National Democratic Congress directed the Minority to reject the new ministers appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

In a press release dated February 19, the party explained that this is to help push for the reduction in the size of the current government.

The NDC stated that the party together with other civil society organizations have on numerous occasions expressed concern over the government’s size but the President has yet to act on the calls for a reduction.

“The leadership of the NDC, has, against this backdrop, directed the Minority caucus in Parliament not to approve any of the new ministerial nominees and to further push for a reduction in the size of government with a view to reducing the needless drain on scarce public resources.

“In this moment of haircuts, the most important thing the government can do is to do a governmental haircut. Our directive to the Minority in Parliament, we believe strongly aligns with the genuine sentiments of most Ghanaians. Enough is enough,” parts of the statement read.