I'm not looking for ministerial position; I’m already in government — Ricketts-Hagan

George Ricketts-Hagan, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South and Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, says he doesn’t need a ministerial position to contribute to the NDC government.

The NDC MP noted that he is not seeking an appointment, as he already plays a key role in the legislative arm of government.

Speaking on Accra-based TV3’s Agenda show, Mr. Ricketts-Hagan likened government appointments to football, where some players are selected to start while others join later through substitutions.

He explained that being appointed early is not necessarily a measure of one’s capability, as the President—like a football coach—makes decisions based on strategy and plans.

“When we say government, it goes beyond the executive. There are several other positions, including boards. Forming a government is like a football match. The president is the coach.

“He can only play 11 players on the pitch, but the club has 22 top players. The president, like the coach, decides on the best starting 11—not necessarily the best players in the team—but the best for his formation at that moment,” Mr. Ricketts-Hagan explained.

He added, “I find myself in government. I am not looking for a ministerial position. I want to serve the government, and I’ve been lucky to be placed in a key legislative role where a lot of decisions end up. I am a key player.”

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama, who has promised to run a lean government with 60 ministers to cut costs, has appointed 56 so far.

However, some supporters of the National Democratic Congress reportedly stormed their party offices to protest what they deemed the exclusion of their preferred candidates from the nomination list. The protests occurred in areas such as Ho Central in the Volta Region and Effutu in the Central Region.