Reshuffle ‘failed’ ministers – Bentil to Akufo-Addo

Vice President of Imani Ghana, Kofi Bentil, has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to immediately reshuffle his ministers.

According to him, most of the ministers have failed to live up to expectation, a situation he says requires immediate attention from the president.

His comments come in the wake of public outcry against the GHS1bn budget of the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives which was approved by parliament on Wednesday.

In the budget, 275 ambulances will be procured at a unit cost of GHS354,750 totalling GHS97,556,250.

Fifty warehouses would be constructed at a unit cost of GHS1,652,469 totalling GHS82,623,480.

Also, 1000 solar-powered mechanical boreholes would be constructed at a unit cost of GHS132,000 totalling GHS132,000,000.

Additionally, 1000 “water closet institutional toilets with mechanised boreholes and solar panels” would be constructed at a unit cost of GHS187,000 totalling GHS187,000,000.

Fifty micro-enterprises would also be constructed at a unit cost of GHS550,000 totalling GHS 27,500,000.

Below are the rest of the items in the budget approved for the ministry led by Mavis Hawa Koomson:

275 projects at a unit cost of GHS1,100,000 totalling GHS302,500,000

Construction of 100 markets at a unit cost of GHS1,100,000 totalling GHS110,000,000

Internal Management or Organisations totalling GHS8,600,000

Hiring of office accommodation for Middle Belt and Coastal Belt Development Authority and Regional Offices totalling GHS15,000,000

Legal and Administrative Framework Review – GHS1000,000

Maintenance, Rehabilitation and Refurbishment – GHS3000,000

Procurement of Office Furniture and Fixtures – GHS6,500,000

Local and International Affiliation – GHS2,500,000

Procurement of Office Supplies and Consumables – GHS3,000,000

Tendering Activities – GHS759,970

Treasury and Accounting Activities – GHS500,000

Procurement of Computers and Accessories – GHS1,500,000

Manpower Skill Development – GHS3,500,000

Foreign Training – GHS2,000,000

Planning and Policy Formulation – GHS3,500,000

Policies and Programme Review Activities – GHS1,500,000

Publication and Dissemination of Policies and Programmes – GHS500,000

Development and Management of Database – GHS400,000

Research and Development – GHS1,000,000

Development of Website – GHS800,000

Budget Preparation – GHS2,000,000

Budget Performance Reporting – GHS500,000

Management and Monitoring of Policies and Projects – GHS3,000,000

Commenting on this budget on his Facebook page, Mr Bentil, also a private legal practitioner, said: “Mr President if election was today, I'll vote for you again! But most of your 110 Ministers failed woefully. RESHUFFLE please!!!

He added: “800,000 website? You create silly jobs that produce nothing and you call this change?? Please be different or prepare to leave!!”