President Nana Akufo-Addo has defended his decision to name two Ministers of State at the Education and Agricultural Ministries.
Speaking as he swore in four Ministers of State at the Flagstaff House, President Akufo-Addo said such critical sectors needed additional “additional talents” to ensure their success.
[contextly_sidebar id=”Nk4ma9QsTg0OXlBztafjra08DMrkIPs2″]President Akufo-Addo was heavily criticised when his final batch of ministerial nominations ballooned his government size to 110 ministers and their deputies.
The number included four Ministers of State; Sarah Adjoa Sarfo for Procurement, Professor Kwesi Yankah for Education, Brian Acheampong as a Minister of State and Dr. Nurah Gyeile for the Agriculture.
Justifying the appointments, President Akufo-Addo said, “In two of the critical ministries, I needed additional talents to ensure the success of those important departments of state.”
“The Ministry of Education is one of the largest in our state machinery, dealing with all aspects of our educational structure from kindergarten to the tertiary level. Each level has its own preoccupations. None more so than at the tertiary stage.”
“By the same token, I think it necessary to strengthen the Ministry of Agriculture. It is obvious that a successful agricultural sector makes for the successful economy,” he added.
According to the President, the missing component at the Agricultural Ministry is “the presence at the centre of the ministry of an experienced politically astute administrator of the agriculture sector who can complement of the ministry.”
President Akufo-Addo has indicated that the problems facing the country; including the decline in the agriculture sector, corruption, the low growth rate of the economy, and the revenue leaks required bold measures to address them.
Thus he feels his large government size is needed to match up to the “unprecedented” challenges that confronted his government.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana