Ghanaian Times: Let’s wait patiently for the President to form his government

The Jubilee House, in the coming days, will release the list of ministers and top government appointees who will support President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to implement his policies and programmes of social and economic transformation for the next four years.

Unlike his first term where the government was constituted in record time, the President is taking time in putting together a government for his second term.

It may be that the President is under no pressure since the transition is taking place seamlessly under the same political leadership.

It may also be that President Akufo-Addo is taking his time to do more consultations on the names and structure of his next administration before he makes it public.

Whatever the reasons may be, the President is not necessarily under any obligation to form a government two weeks into his administration.

However, considering the speed with which President Akufo-Addo constituted his first government, there is a general anticipation that some names would be out by now.

Some names have been thrown out, especially in the social media space, as persons the President has penciled for positions in his new administration without any official source or confirmation from the Presidency.

There are rumours on the size of the President’s next government, with predictions that some ministries are going to be scrapped.

There is also debate on the need to amend Article 78 of the Constitution, which enjoins the President to appoint majority of his ministers of state from among Members of Parliament

The reason, according to proponents of such suggestions, is to allow the Legislative arm of government and legislators to focus on their roles of oversight and as representatives of their constituents effectively

It is quite obvious that there is lobbying going on at the Jubilee House on who should be given certain positions in the President’s new government.

The Ghanaian Times believes that President Akufo-Addo is capable of putting together a government made up of competent men and women to implement his programmes of economic and social transformation

He had a team of ministers who assisted him to pursue his vision of building a prosperous nation in his first term, which secured him re-election for a second term

Although it is human nature to lobby in circumstances like this, the President should be given the space to form a competent government without any pressure.

If he is able to put together a good team to continue and complete the programmes outlined in the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Policy (2017-2024), he will leave a good legacy which will benefit the nation.

We believe the President should not be stampeded into making decisions with the names being thrown out in the media.