The New Patriotic Party (NPP) did not promise Ghanaians a lean government during its campaign, Minister of Information-designate Mustapha Hamid has said.
So far, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has nominated 36 persons to fill various ministerial portfolios pending approval by parliament with some more names expected to be announced next week to fill various deputy ministerial positions as well as regional ministerial positions.
Critics of the government have argued that Mr Akufo-Addo’s ministers are already too many although they promised Ghanaians a lean government if voted into power.
However, speaking to Jonas Ofori-Yeboah, host of the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class 91.3FM on Friday, 13 January, Mr Hamid said the NPP never promised a lean government.
According to him, it was better to have a large government which will protect the public purse than a lean government which will superintend over corruption.
“I don’t remember anywhere that we promised a lean government. We never said that. We promised a government that is efficient, that will deliver, that will protect the integrity of the state and protect the public purse, that’s what we promised. We didn’t promise a lean government,” he stated.
As for the size of government, he added, “every president has his vision and his understanding of how the nation should go, and, therefore, it is the vision that determines the number of ministers that would be required to deliver on that vision. So, I don’t think that we should box ourselves into an utopia of lean government which at the end of the day superintends more waste and more corruption than anybody can imagine,” the president’s spokesperson added.
According to him, “of what use is it to have 10 ministers and then set up institutions that basically eat up the state resources like the kinds of things we saw under SADA, GYEEDA, Woyome etc?”
In his opinion, therefore, it was better to have a government of whatever number of ministers who will protect the public purse than to have 10 ministers who will loot the state, “so, it’s not so much about the number of ministers but it’s about integrity with which people would work in order to protect the public purse”.
Source: Classfmonline
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Hamid, where is our University of Cape Coast SRS money you chopped and remember you did not hand over. You took the SRC money with our business to the North and never hand over. You just vacated your post without accountability At times I lough when I see you talking on TV and on radio as if you are perfect.
deceitful bastard
Why can you ***barred word*** and tolerate divergent views but you are talking too much about people who are giving their opinion. Do you think those of the other side were happy when your leader was promising he will reduce everything was he joking.
Ei Ghanaian's you talk too much What are your problems? Why can't we just wait even for 3 months to see what is coming? It's cheap to sit behind a computer and write things which cannot yield positive results.
Nobody has so for stated one instance Nana promised a lean government or a promise in the campaign manisfest to that effect. Government appointees are best placed to check on this our creaate looot and shaare civil service
How can you justice a large government with National Purse Protection? Kuassia..mustapha Gyimmii. Ghanaians will live to see.
Am of the opinion that we really need a new party and stop this ndc/ npp business, they are all the same.
How do you protect the public purse on the one hand and create so many new ministries on the other? Honestly some of the new ministries are not necessary and are only a duplication of functions. Positions should not be a reward for loyalty. It should be based solely on competence. Akuffo Addo should listen and not fall into the trap of arrogance like the NDC or he will be gone in 4 years. If this NDC/NPP thing does not work then the young well-educated citizens should really consider coming together and forming a new party. Ghana needs a new path and these establishment type politicians Akuffo Addo/Mahama do not have the courage to chart that path. And by the way, Hamid is a bad choice for Min. of info.
Ghanaians are beginning to see the damage they have done to themselves. You can continue creating your loot ministries and keep defending them.
Hamid, please think before you open your mouth. You need to take every question as a trap and must be careful in using words like ALWAYS, NEVER, ALL,and others when dealing with the press and social media. How would you feel, Hamid, if someone has a tape of Akufo-Addo saying something to the effect that his government will be "lean" that Mahama's? Trust me, you would look stooppidd!