Cutting expenditure: Parliament okay with size of government – Oppong Nkrumah

The parliament of Ghana is not of the view that the size of the Akufo-Addo government is too big, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah argued that the recent approval of six new ministerial nominees by parliament following their vetting by the appointments committee, underscores his position.

Despite the house being a hung parliament, all the six ministerial nominees got majority votes from across the aisle.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah told Accra-based Joy News when asked about the clamour by the opposition and civil society organisations for the downsizing of the government: “The understanding I have is that parliament does not even share that view”.

“You saw what happened in parliament the last time; literally that question was put on the table”, he said in reference to the plenary vote on the six nominees.

The Ofoase Ayirebi MP said: “Despite all the conversations, the last time it was put on the table, you saw the numbers. So, parliament, as a body, does not even share that view”.

According to him, the extra MPs appointed as ministers do not cost the state extra money.

“It doesn’t cost the taxpayer any extra because they are paid as Members of Parliament,” Mr Nkrumah reiterated.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah, however, said the government was ready and open to possible ways of cutting down on expenditure.

“There’s already been action on various levels, and I’ve mentioned that the doors are not closed to further cuts as are being examined. And as we go through and as we examine some more, there are places where some more cuts can be done. It makes sense to make those cuts,” he noted.