Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called on President John Mahama to reconsider his pledge to limit ministerial appointments to 60, urging him to apologise to Ghanaians and increase the number of appointees for effective governance.
During his campaign, President Mahama promised to keep the number of ministers at 60 as a move to reduce government expenditure and promote efficiency. However, Afenyo-Markin argued that this limit may hinder the government’s ability to manage the complexities of governance effectively.
Speaking in Parliament during a debate on ministerial nominations on January 23, Afenyo-Markin suggested that the President should admit the mistake and adjust his approach. “When we make mistakes, let’s admit them and apologise. 60 ministers will not help your political cause,” he said.
The Minority Leader also pointed out that combining ministries, such as Local Government and Chieftaincy, could create challenges due to the intensive oversight required. He expressed concern that reducing the number of ministers could overburden those appointed, leading to inefficiencies and potentially increasing the risk of corruption.
Afenyo-Markin further argued that reducing ministerial positions without cutting the number of civil servants wouldn’t necessarily lead to cost savings. He warned that having fewer ministers in charge of multiple departments could result in poor oversight and governance issues.
“People forget that when you merge two ministries, the staffers remain the same. One minister supervising everything will soon lead to things getting out of hand, and then corruption accusations will follow,” he said.
The Minority Leader urged the President to take a pragmatic approach, explaining the complexities of governance to the public and potentially departing from campaign promises to better address the country’s needs. “Let’s boldly explain the intricacies of politics to the public instead of falling into the trap of unrealistic political commitments,” Afenyo-Markin added.
Source:TheDotNews