‘Akufo-Addo Should’ve Sacked 20 Ministers In Reshuffle’ – Asiedu Nketiah

The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, says he is not enthused by President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial reshuffle yesterday.

His comments follow a ministerial resshuffle which saw the re-assignement of fifteen ministers on Thursday, August 9,2018.

Speaking to Neil Armstrong –Mortagbe, host of the Morning Xpress on Radio XYZ 93.1MHz, the vociferous politician lamented over the size of the current government, stressing that the president should have reduced tge number of his ministers from one hundred and ten (110) to about ninety due to the economic hardships in the country.

“ I don’t know whether he (the president) has ended or he will continue, but I will strongly suggest to him that the 110 ministers simply cannot wash no matter what he does,” said Mr Asiedu Nketiah who believed the country was spending so much on the ministers to the detriment of Ghana’s development.

He indicated that the provision of vehicles, accommodation and other incentives to the over hundred ministers was putting pressure on the public purse, especially at a time that “the same government is crying about shortage of money.”

He further slammed the government for refusing to heed to the calls of civil society groups, political bodies and a section of Ghanaians in general to cut down the size of appointees in the Akufo-Addo led administration, but rather resorting to the increment of taxes whereas the reduction of the government could save the country much money.

“You don’t increase taxes only to raise money to pay ministers. I don’t think that is a good way,” he said while advocating for a “lesser number” of ministers.

“He (the President) should have come with a lesser number because it doesn’t wash,” he declared and added that the ballooned size of government only depicts the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has no competent people to serve in government as its leaders professed prior to the 2016 general elections.

“…If they are competent, a lesser number should be seen to be bringing out an output which is far greater than the output the larger number will be bringing and not the other way round,” he added.

Below are the names of the reshuffled ministers;

1. John Peter Amewu – Energy (Former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources);

2. Kweku Asoma-Cheremeh – Lands and Natural Resources (Former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister);

3. Kofi Adda – Aviation (Former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources);

4. Cecilia Abena Dapaah – Sanitation and Water Resources (Former Aviation Minister);

5. Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid – Minister of Inner City and Zongo Development (Former Information Minister);

6. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah – Information (Former Deputy Minister of Information);

7. Cynthia Morrison – Gender, Child and Social Protection;

8. Paulina Tangoba Abayage – Upper East Regional Minister (Former Ambassador to Italy);

9. Evans Opoku Bobie, Member of Parliament for Asunafo North Constituency and former deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, is now Brong Ahafo Regional Minister-designate;

10. Martin Oti Gyarko, Member of Parliament for Techiman North Constituency, is now Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister-designate;

11. Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Member of Parliament for Madina Constituency and former Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, is now Minister of State at the Office of the Vice-President;

12. Rockson Bukari, former Upper East Regional Minister, is now Minister of State at the Office of the President;

13. Pius Enam Hadzide, former deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, is now Deputy Minister of Information;

14. Perry Curtis Okudzeto, former deputy Minister of Information, is now Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports; and

15. Otiko Afisa Djaba, former Minister of Gender, Child and Social Protection, is now Ambassador-designate to Italy.