New Ministers: Sack non-performing appointees first - NDC man to Akufo-Addo

A member of the communications team for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Akwesi Mensah, has urged the NPP government to sack non-performing ministers in order to cut down on expenditure.

According to him, the minority in Parliament will not approve the new ministers unless the president cuts down the size of his government.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) directed the Minority Caucus in Parliament not to approve any of the new ministerial nominees and further push for a reduction in the size of government.

A statement signed and issued by the General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, said the party had long expressed concern over the large size of the current government and shared the views of most Ghanaians, including those of civil society organizations, that it must be reduced bearing in mind the current economic crisis the country has been plunged into by the government.

“Despite numerous appeals, President Akufo-Addo has, quite characteristically, remained adamant and tone deaf. “The leadership of the NDC, against this backdrop, has directed the Minority caucus in Parliament NOT to approve any of the new ministerial nominees,” it said.

Parliament will be busy this week with the scheduled vetting of six persons nominated as ministers and a deputy minister from today.

The exercise will run concurrently with activities of the third week of the first meeting of the third session of the eighth Parliament.

The ministers and deputy minister will be vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament within two days.

Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghanie Nie with Ama Gyenfa Ofosu Darkwa, Mr Peter Akwesi Mensah said, "This government is spending more than it investing so that we can make returns, and so the NDC which is an opposition party are saying no, we have to force the Government to cut down the size of the government, so that expenditure would be reduced.”

He continued, “We have been on him that he can merge some of the ministries; we spoke about the information ministry, the communications ministry, the agriculture ministry, fisheries and aquaculture, and many others, but still no response, so we asked what other ways we could use to reduce this government.” He has appointed new ministers, so let us take this opportunity to inform the government that we will not confirm the ministers until he reduces the size of government.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Peter Akwesi Mensah said if the government cuts down the size of his government, the NDC will go ahead and approve the new ministers.