As Executive Secretary of the Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement Ghana (ADAM-GH), I think it will be difficult for the President to effectively implement the 24-hour economy policy with sixty (60) ministers without Deputies in some ministries.
Undoubtedly, President John Dramani Mahama promised Ghanaians a lean government. I believe he has fulfilled that promise through the reduction of 30 ministries to 23 ministries and that is recommendable. I will call the 60 Ministers syndrome during the campaign an overreaction. The overreaction statement of appointing only 60 ministers contradicts the 24hr economy policy as one minister can not work 24hrs if their respective agencies are to implement the 24hr economy policy effectively.
What the president fails to understand now is that he did not anticipate this huge number of 188 Members of Parliament during his campaign when he overreacted, promising only 60 ministers. I will suggest to the President to concentrate on promises to reset the economy and reduce the hardship Ghanaians are going through imposed on us by the previous Nana Addo government, by appointing enough qualified men and women to speed up the reset agenda.
Reducing the number of ministries to 23 alone is a great achievement of the lean government promised by the president but trying to stick to only sixty (60) Ministers including the 16 Regional Ministers promised, may cause problems for the president in his party and government. The previous government failed Ghanaians, not because of the high number of ministers but rather the high level of corruption and arrogance. If President Mahama will commit himself to fighting corruption in his government and enforce accountability, the number of ministers may not be necessary.
If the president really wants to implement the 24-hour economy effectively, which is a major campaign promise, then I will advise that he should go beyond the 60 Ministers syndrome and feel free to form a stronger team regardless of the number of ministers.
A 24-hour economy policy can not function effectively with only one minister at a ministry without Deputies. So far, John Dramani Mahama has appointed 48 ministers including the 16 Regional Ministers. Take note, these 48 ministers exclude deputy ministers, what it means is that, if the president wants to go by the 60 Ministers promised, most of the ministries will not have deputy ministers and that may affect the 24-hour economy policy if implemented.
The 24hr economy policy is expected to bring economic revolution and must not be sacrificed for this 60 Ministers syndrome. However, the reduction of ministries from thirty (30) to twenty-three (23) alone is itself a fulfillment of the lean government promised by the president and not necessarily stick to 60 Ministers including the 16 Regional Ministers.
I will suggest that the president should detach the 16 Regional Ministers from the 60 Ministers promised so that he can form a stronger and solid team to work with, as a matter of urgency reset this country earlier than expected to relieve Ghanaians from this economic hardship imposed on us by the previous Nana Addo and Bawumia government. Mr. Presidents do not sacrifice the 24-hour economy policy for 60 Ministers syndrome.
Signed
Azubila Emmanuel Abdu-Salam Executive Secretary Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement Ghana (ADAM-GH).
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