“It’s Still Possible To Use 40 Ministers, JOY Counsels Nana Addo

An independent candidate for Ghana’s presidential elections in 2012 and 2016, Mr. Jacob Osei Yeboah popularly known as Joy, has stated that it is still possible for the president of the republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo to us only 40 ministers in his 2nd term in office.

According to Joy, the restructuring and realignment of ministries and ministers will not only result in a lean government, but also make “governance much efficient, prudent and save this country a lot of taxpayers money”.

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He made the call in an interview with MyGhanaMedia.com on Saturday, 23rd January, 2021.

Mr. Yeboah, who was the running mate to the independent presidential candidate in the 2020 elections, said the new ministries could be Finance, Infrastructure; Economic, Trade and Entrepreneurship; Education, Technology, Science and Industries as well as Health and Sports.

Other suggestions, he said, were Lands and Natural Resources; Agriculture and Food Security; Energy, Petroleum and Power; Regional and Local Government, Sanitation and Environment; Transportation (Aviation, Railways, Waters}; Tourism, Culture and Arts and Justice, Gender and Social Protection.

The rest are Governmental Affairs and Attorney General; Interior and Defence; Foreign Affairs and International Business; Employment and Labour Relation and Projects Coordinators, Contracts and Global Supplies Chain Management.

Justifying why some of the restructuring were necessary, Mr. Yeboah noted that Health and Sports fell under fitness and well-being while the Justice, Gender and Social Protection would cover “Justice for citizens and even against the executive arm of government or Presidency”.

He explained that putting the Attorney General with Governmental Affairs would also address the issue of the separation of Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

He said the Attorney General becomes the Executive Lawyer for the government.

Mr. Yeboah said putting Interior and Defence into one ministry would ensure that both the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) reported to one minister and help with the coordination of intelligence gathering.

On the Ministry of Projects Coordinators, Contracts and Global Supplies Chain Management, he said.

“Projects coordination will ensure effective inter-ministerial management, where all government contracts and procurement will be centralised.

“There will be policy of ensuring that some items are manufactured in Ghana and food crops grown in Ghana,” he added.

He said supply chain was more extensive than procurement hence the need to be put in the proper perspective.

Mr. Yeboah said the number of ministers would be reduced to 31 while 16 deputy Regional Ministers should be made to supervise the work of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives in the regions.

He said all Regional Directors of Environment should be made to report to regional ministers.

Source: MyGhanaMedia.com – Adwenpa-Hene Kofi Mensah