The president of policy think tank, IMANI Ghana, says the record appointment of 110 ministers by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo shows he failed to insist on “meritocracy.”
Franklin Cudjoe says although government has been honest about requiring the fiscal space to carry out its many programmes, there is no justification for the huge number of appointees.
He said a programme his organisation undertook prior to the December election which was condemned by political parties sought to stop the fanciful promises made by political parties.
Government Wednesday released a fresh list of 50 deputy ministers and ministers of state, bringing the total number of ministers so far to 110.
In a historic move, the President has appointed three deputies for the ministries of Information, Energy, Agriculture and Local Government.
Sections of Social media have condemned the size of government, noting the president promised to protect the public purse.
But Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid said the number is needed to ‘assist’ the President pursue an ‘ambitious’ development agenda.
He said the size of the Akufo-Addo government explaining that a lean government was never one of the NPP’s campaign promises.
“We never promised a lean government,” he addressed a press conference Wednesday minutes after the announcement.
But IMANI Ghana boss has disagreed with Mr Hamid’s claim that the President has appointed more Ministers because of the nature of the economy.
“If that is the case then we need to add militia men as well and probably give them spoons instead of shovels to dig holes,” he mocked government.
He said he finds it worrying the notion held by several people that because the Constitution enjoins the head of state to apppoint the number of Ministers he deemed fit, it is right to do so.
“There is something called legal blunder, and it is used to waste resources…corruption is not only about spending money but an amorphous entity that manifests in waste,” he said, adding the appointments will lead to cronyism which will also result in rent-seeking behaviour.
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