According to them, the MP was very vocal during the party’s electioneering campaign, and was instrumental in its victory at the December polls, and therefore merited an appointment in government.

[contextly_sidebar id=”vo3zfhcG1prL5Bo7BhBOuFEAOV4VSlc7″]They alleged that the President had assured constituents on three different occasions that he would hand K.T Hammond a ministerial position, but the president was yet to fulfill his promise three months into his government.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the convener of the group, Richard Yeboah, said, “We cannot measure the disappointment that we are going through because we are hurt by the single decision by the President to snub our MP, KT Hammond… We know the caliber of person K.T Hammond is, within and outside the party.”

He noted that the group was surprised that the president had sidelined K.T Hammond, saying the legislator was instrumental in exposing alleged shady deals under the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

He added that, K.T Hammond served impressively under the John Kufuor government and played a role in setting the pace for commercial exploitation of Ghana’s oil.

He told host, Richard Sky, that K.T Hammond was one of the very few senior members of Parliament within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) majority, and therefore should have been appointed considering his depth of knowledge and experience.

“We are expecting that K.T Hammond if the president was going to mention some members for parliament, K.T was going to be part. We have 110 ministers without our MP who is key. That is why we are worried and we want to find out from the parliament why it is so,” he said.

“We are not putting pressure on the president. The president has the sole prerogative to appoint and sack ministers, but our interest is in the fact that K.T played a key role in our December victory and that he must be considered for a ministerial appointment, and because he has not been mentioned, we are only interested in knowing why he was not mentioned,” he added.

Richard Yeboah, however denied that the group was being sponsored by Mr. KT. Hammond to push his campaign for him to be given a ministerial appointment.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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According to him, the number is too large for the country and will not promote efficiency as suggested by the President.

[contextly_sidebar id=”jyJRSWkqATahwOnDykw7y2XbtUU3swAG”]He said the President could have done with fewer ministers who will deliver on their mandate efficiently.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Prof. Gyampo told host, Richard Sky, that “the idea of efficiency is using few to achieve more. So if you have a government that is made up of over 100 ministers and you describe this as big, it doesn’t promote efficiency. You need a few ministers to prosecute your agenda. I’m not sure the Akufo-Addo administration needs all these people to help him redeem his campaign promises.”

He noted that, the size of the government will certainly take a toll on the nation’s coffers. He said the government’s obligation to pay salaries, provide vehicles, security, accommodation, among other things will affect the country’s finances rather than protect it as being argued by a section of the public.

“If a government is big enough to think of doing things to satisfy the needs of people, it is big enough at the same time to take from the people. You will succeed in creating wealth, but the same wealth will be gobbled by the very people who are serving in government so at the end of the day, the ordinary people will be missing out in terms of development,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo’s appointment of 110 ministers including deputies to serve in his government, has generated controversy as some Ghanaians say it betrays their trust in the new government, which was expected to refrain from any activity that has the tendency of plundering the state coffers.

The number is the largest in Ghana’s history.

Prof. Gyampo said Ghana’s weak economy cannot be made to accommodate the large number of ministers.

“For an economy where things are not so well, you cannot afford to allow the few resources to be gobbled by the people that you have appointed, so all over the world, it is improving.. An idea of an efficient government is a lean government. I cannot fathom any justification for this size of the government,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has expressed optimism that the size of his government will enable him fulfill all his promises to Ghanaians.

He said the criticism against his ministerial appointments will cease when his government delivers effectively on their mandate.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic and GTV, the president said “we have a problem, and what is the best way? It is better to have men and women capable of serving the nation’s interests and to work to grow the economy… If I succeed, you will soon find out the brouhaha is nothing compared to the success.”

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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Mr. Cudjoe argued that, the engagement of prospective private sector beneficiaries of enhanced railway services would be a more prudent move towards developing infrastructure for railway development.

[contextly_sidebar id=”BZCuC0sUzst90ZfJKG0WclN9IfsTRqQM”]His comments came as he criticized the high number of ministries under the Nana Akufo-Addo government which currently stands at 25 with more expected to be added.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the IMANI President opined: “It seems to me that the mantra of trying to be a leaner in government business seems to be faltering away. If we don’t take care we might hit probably 30 ministries.”

The latest list of ministerial nominees revealed that, there will be two new ministries introduced under the Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration, namely the Ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation, and the Ministry of Re-organisation and Special Projects, in addition to the new National Security Ministry which is backed by law.

Out of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, a new Ministry to be known as the Ministry for Sanitation and Water Resources has also been created leaving the Works and Housing Ministry on its own.

Some ministries have however been merged with the Power Ministry coming back under the Energy Ministry.

Mr. Cudjoe lauded the condensation of the Energy Ministry as “great” but noted that the consolidation had not been “compensated properly” in other areas.

‘A festival of ministries’

Mr. Cudjoe singled out Ministry of Transport, Ministry for Railways Development and Ministry for Roads and Highways and described them as “a festival of Ministries for a single monolithic entity.”

“The Ministry of Railway Development is entirely needless because what you do need for railway development is money. You need $2 billion in order to fix the railway,” he said.

Mr. Cudjoe further suggested that, what was needed was the proper influence of the private sector and the most practical approach, in his view, is to ensure that beneficiaries of the railway put together that funding.

“How you go about it is to speak to the heavy users of railways. So miners; let them get involved and help you raise money. Cocoa producers; let them get involved and help you raise money and then you are gone. You don’t need a ministry to integrate railway development,” he explained.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Railways ministry needless – Franklin Cudjoe appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This announcement was made by President Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House today [Tuesday], where he also announced 12 other nominated Minister designates, pending parliamentary approval.

The Senior Minster position was a designation under the erstwhile Kufuor Administration. The Minister will supervise the activities of all other appointees and ensure discipline at all levels.

In making the announcement, President Akufo-Addo said Mr. Osafo-Maafo, an experienced economist, will help Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who will be heading the country’s economic management team, to put the country on sound economic footing.

Mr. Osafo-Maafo served as the Minister of Finance, later Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, during the Kufuor Administration. He held this position from February 2001 and January 2005.

Between 2005 and 2006, he became the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports.

He is credited with leading the implementation of the free basic education referred to as then as the Capitation Grant.

Mr. Osafo-Maafo is an engineer and a project analyst by training and he established his credentials as a banking and finance leader by heading and successfully restructuring two major Ghanaian banks, the Bank for Housing and Construction and the National Investment Bank between 1979 and 1992.

He has been a Consultant to the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme.

Mr. Osafo-Maafo is the past Vice-President of the Executive Committee of the West African Bankers Association, and a founding Deputy Chairman of the Ghana Stock Exchange.

He has served as Chairman and a board member on a number of corporations including Nestle Ghana Limited, National Trust Holding Company, Merchant Bank Ghana Limited, National Development Planning Commission, Divestiture Implementation Committee and Donewell Insurance. He is a fellow of the Ghana Institution of Engineers and an Honorary Fellow of the Ghana Institute of Architects.

He is also a fellow of the Ghana Institution of Engineers and an Honorary Fellow of the Ghana Institute of Architects.

Find the full list below:

Senior Minister – Yaw Osafo-Maafo

National Security Minister – Albert Kan Dapaah

Minister of Trade and Industry – Alan Kyeremanten

Minister of Finance – Ken Ofori-Atta

Minister of Agriculture – Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto

Minister of Energy – Boakye Agyarko

Minister of Defence – Dominic Nitiwul

Minister of Interior – Ambrose Dery

Minister of Foreign Affairs – Shirley Ayorkor Botchway

Attorney General  – Gloria Akuffo

Minister of Local Government – Hajia Alima Mahama

Minister of Education – Matthew Opoku Prempeh

Minister of Health – Kwaku Agyemang-Manu

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana with files from Ministerial Leadership Initiative

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He condemned such acts as self-servicing and the fuel behind of some of the post-election disturbances perpetuated by political party foot soldiers.

In an interview with Citi News on the sidelines of a joint graduation ceremony at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Mr. Bombande said it was unfair to put pressure on the President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo, who has himself urged the National Executive Committee of his New Patriotic Party to give him more time to announce his proposed ministers.

He further stressed that selflessness must be seen to be the calling card of all persons engaged in politics.

“We must see politics and leadership for public service, selflessness and not that one is in politics because one wants to participate in the election and immediately after the election is thinking about who he is going to be in government.”

“No wonder at the foot soldier level, there is so much violence because, in their minds, it is about what they are going to get. So let me take over the motorway toll booth, let me create pandemonium so I can draw attention to myself,” Mr. Bombande added.

Nana Addo’s ministers, what we know so far

The only minister that Nana Akufo-Addo has confirmed for his incoming administration is Alan Kyeremanten as the Minister of Trade and Industry.

Multiple sources within the NPP have also disclosed to Citi News that co-founder of Databank, Ken Ofori-Atta; Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul and a former deputy Attorney General, Ambrose Dery will also be ministers.

Mr. Ofori-Atta has been pegged as the Finance Minister whilst Dominic Nitiwul and Ambrose Dery will head the Defense and Interior ministries respectively.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Stop speculating over Nana Addo’s potential ministers – Bombande appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.