Akufo-Addo should have appointed only 20 ministers – Professor Asare

Professor Stephen Asare, a Ghanaian professor based in the US, has condemned President Nana Akufo-Addo’s appointment of 110 ministers and deputy ministers.

Akufo-Addo provoked outrage today when he announced the appointment of 54 new ministers in addition to the 56 he had already appointed.

Many Ghanaians have taken to social media to condemn him for, according to them, creating a big government.

Ina series of reactions on Facebook, Prof. Asare said it was unfortunate that a country with 165 ambulances had 275 members of parliament and 110 ministers.

“The good Lord has blessed our homeland with 110 ministers, 275 MPs, 216 DCEs and 165 ambulances. Da Yie,” he said.

Prof. Asare, who is an authority on constitutional law matters, said Akufo-Addo should have appointed no more than 20 ministers and 20 deputy ministers.

“If I was advising the President, I’d dare him to be different and build a legacy of running a smart government, known for doing more with less.

In that vein, we would have started with 20 ministers for the underlisted ministries. All the 20 ministers will be non-parliamentarians. To fulfill, the constitutional requirement, each will have a “deputy” (called Minister of State Deputants) who is an MP,” he said.
The professor proposed the creation of the new ministries as follows:

1. Agriculture

2. Land and Mineral Resources

3. Attorney General and Justice

4. Interior

5. Defense

6. Energy (oil, gas, nuclear, etc)

7. Finance and Economic Planning

8. Rural Development and Local Government

9. Commerce (trade, industry, etc)

10. External Relations

11. Education

12. Health

13. Labor and Employment

14. Social Welfare and Development (Youth, Gender, etc)

15. Transportation (roads, highways, air, sea, etc)

16. Environment (pollution, etc)

17. Housing and Urban Development

18. Water and Irrigation

19. Tourism (Culture, Arts, Sports, etc)

20.Information, Communication and Technology

Meanwhile, click here to read the list of Akufo-Addo’s 50 newly-appointed deputy ministers.