Akufo-Addo’s Ministers too many; Hamid's justification incompetent – Prof. Gyampo

A lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof. Ransford Gyampo has questioned the size of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government.

According to him, the government is too large for a small country such as Ghana.

President Nana Akufo-Addo has appointed 110 ministers in total, making his government the biggest in the Fourth Republic. The previous NPP government led by former President John Kufuor had 88 ministers while the Mills administration that succeeded it had 69 ministerial appointees. The Mahama administration, however, had 78 ministerial appointments.

The appointments have been met with mixed reaction from the public. Whereas some believe the size does not matter but results is what is most important, others are of the view that the appointees will be a drain on state coffers.

Speaking to Kasapa News, Prof. Gyampo said the fact that someone campaigned or helped a political party in diverse ways to win an election, does not necessarily mean the person must be rewarded by being appointed to a political office.

“If we don’t take care we’ll end up appointing majority of Ghanaians as ministers because those who worked and voted for the NPP to win the last elections are many. The number of appointees are to much, this is the biggest government in the history of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.”

He added: “Why can’t we run the country like the private sector running a business. Private sector is always competent and efficient but uses few people to do the job which produces a lot of successes, but the situation changes when it comes to government. I heard the Information Minister providing an incompetent explanation and justification for the large number of ministers, I was so dissapointed. for it…he saying NPP never promised a lean government, but wants a big government? All over the world countries that want to develop, work with a lean government made up of people who are competent.”

Prof. Gyampo noted that Civil servants who are the administrative machinery of the state are the ones who do the real work and not ministers, adding that if civil servant were to deliver on their mandate there may not be the need for the appointment of ministers.