President John Dramani Mahama has announced that his latest appointments bring the government closer to its target of 60 ministers.
Speaking at the swearing-in of 13 deputy ministers and one minister of state on Wednesday, March 12, he revealed that a final list of four additional deputy ministers would be submitted in the coming days to complete his ministerial team.
He disclosed that, so far, only 30 political appointees had been named at the presidency, comprising 27 presidential staffers and three directors of key government initiatives.
He noted that this list is awaiting approval from the Council of State.
Mr. Mahama emphasized that under his leadership, Parliament had approved the lowest number of ministers in Ghana’s Fourth Republic, ensuring a streamlined government that could swiftly implement policies and programs.
Beyond ministerial appointments, he underscored his administration’s commitment to fiscal discipline by significantly reducing political appointees at the presidency.
Comparing his approach to that of the previous Akufo-Addo administration, he highlighted that there were 336 political appointees at the presidency under his predecessor.
While acknowledging that some additional support staff would be recruited, he assured Ghanaians that the final number would be far lower than the “army of people” employed by the previous government.
He stressed that his government’s focus was not merely on reducing numbers but on ensuring the prudent use of public resources.
Mr. Mahama argued that government expenditure must be balanced against citizens’ tax burdens, with public funds directed toward projects that have a direct impact on the lives of Ghanaians rather than maintaining an oversized bureaucracy.
He reiterated that his administration’s commitment to a lean government was not just about minimizing the number of ministerial positions and staff at the presidency but also about exercising fiscal responsibility.
He assured Ghanaians that this approach was reflected not only in the structure of his government but also in the policies being pursued to drive national development.
