Cut government size – IMANI fellow to Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government is too large, Casely Ato Coleman, a fellow at IMANI Africa, has said.

He has, therefore, called on the president to merge some of the ministries, as a way of reducing the size of his government and then pay more attention to issues affecting the civil service.

President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, 9 August announced his first reshuffle.

Two new ministerial portfolios – Minister of State at the Office of the Vice-President and Minister of State at the Office of the President – were added.

The president has been under criticism for appointing 110 ministers and was expected to use the reshuffle to drop some of his ministers but did not do so.

Speaking on the reshuffle on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM hosted by Chief Jerry Forson on Friday, 10 August, Mr Coleman said: “The size of the government is too large and the president must consolidate some of the ministries.

“The president must pay attention to the civil service because there are a lot of issues, including inadequate staffing and limited number of technical staff that are affecting the sector.”

He added: “This reshuffle is good but we expect a more dramatic reshuffle going forward, where the president will reduce the size of his government.”

Below is the full list:

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.