Accounting professor and private legal practitioner, Prof. Kwaku Asare aka Kwaku Azar, has commended President Akufo-Addo for cutting down on the number of his ministers from 126 to 85.
He is however asking for further reduction from the 85 ministers to 60.
The outspoken lawyer in a post on his Facebook page stated that the President must do this.
He is also asking the President not to appoint MPs as substantive ministers but deputy ministers.
He said “Further, in the interest of GOGO, we recommend that no MP be appointed as a substantive minister. Rather, MPs should be appointed as deputy ministers, similar to the office of parliamentary secretary under the 1969 constitution, to satisfy the extant Constitutional requirement.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced he will appoint only 85 ministers for his second term compared to the 126 who had worked within his first term.
Per the new arrangements, the President says he will not appoint deputy regional ministers.
Seven ministries, namely Aviation, Business Development, Inner City and Zongo Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, Planning, Regional Re-organisation and Development, and the Special Development Initiatives have been realigned.
The Office of the Senior Minister has also been abolished.
Also, the President has hinted at plans to appoint a Minister in Charge of Public Enterprises, who will be operating directly under the Office of the President and not a Ministry.
The Minister will oversee a major restructuring of the entire state-owned enterprises’ sector to improve productivity, the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Inner City and Zongo Development Ministry will be brought under the Office of President with a coordinator appointed to supervise.
Aside from that, the President will appoint a Minister of State who will be assigned to the Ministry of Works and Housing in addition to the substantive minister.
The Minister of State is expected to give special focus to the critical issue of affordable, and mass housing.
In all, the President will appoint 30 Ministers, and 16 regional ministers bringing the total number of ministers to 46 of which 8 are women.
Six would be for Ministerial positions and 2 for the regions.
A new Minister for Energy will be appointed and assisted by deputies.
The statement issued from the presidency said the activities of the Special Development Initiatives and Monitoring and Evaluation would be coordinated from the Presidency.
The Aviation Ministry is to be merged with the Transport Ministry whereas the Business Development Ministry would be added to that of the Trade and Industry.
Activities of the Planning Ministry would go to the Finance Ministry.
The lawyer commenting on this said: “The President is on the right track in reducing the ministers from 127 to 85. It is also a very good move to dispense with deputy regional ministers.
However, there is room for further reduction. We, therefore, appeal to the President to look hard and cut another 25 to bring the number down to 60.
Further, in the interest of GOGO, we recommend that no MP be appointed as a substantive minister. Rather, MPs should be appointed as deputy ministers, similar to the office of parliamentary secretary under the 1969 constitution, to satisfy the extant Constitutional requirement.
It is also time for an amendment to the Constitution to cap the number of ministers that a President can appoint.
#SALL must be in the 8th Parliament.
Da Yie!
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
