Deputy Local Government Minister, O.B Amoah has defended the absence of the full list of staff at the presidency in Parliament.<\/p>\n
This follows complaints from the Minority that, almost a year after assuming the reins of power, the Akufo-Addo administration is yet to present a complete list to the House.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”2Pu3cqnL01yVXjZOafU14Frg8wil0EKU”]Responding to the concerns raised on the floor by Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa Central Rashid Pelpuo, the Akuapem South MP indicated that the President had not breached the office of the President Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the year, within three months, you send a list of those who are employed in the office of the President. Anytime we come here, this matter is raised but the year has not ended. I do not see why they have made this an issue. [Rashid] Pelpuo use to be in the office of the President and he knows this procedure,\u201d he argued.<\/p>\n
About 10 months into his tenure, President Akufo-Addo has only presented the list of his key administrative staff at the Flagstaff House.<\/p>\n
They include\u00a0his Chief of Staff, Frema Osei-Opare, Executive Secretary, Nana Bediatuo Asante and Director of Communications, Eugene Arhin.<\/p>\n
Others are;<\/strong><\/p>\n Brigadier General Emmanuel Okyere \u2013 National Security Advisor<\/p>\n Lord Commey \u2013 Director of Operations at the presidency<\/p>\n Frema Osei-Opare \u2013 Chief of Staff<\/p>\n Francis Asenso Boakye \u2013 1st Deputy Chief of Staff<\/p>\n Abu Jinapor- 2nd Deputy Chief of Staff<\/p>\n Ambassador Hassan Ahmed \u2013 Director of State Protocol<\/p>\n Saratu Atta \u2013 Special Assistant to the president<\/p>\n Joshua Kyeremeh \u2013 National Security Coordinator<\/p>\n Kan Dapaah \u2013 Minister Designate for National Security<\/p>\n Victor Newman \u2013 Director of Research<\/p>\n Clara Napaga Sulemana Tia \u2013 Presidential Staffer<\/p>\n 692 employees at Office of President in 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2015, it was revealed that the Mahama government had 692 employees at the presidency as of December 2014.<\/p>\n They included 24 presidential staffers, and 43 caterers, 36 stewards, 54 drivers,14 night-watchmen, 2 caretakers, 22 sanitary labourers, 3 other labourers, and 85 cleaners as Household staff at the presidency.<\/p>\n Mr. O.B Amoah\u2019s defence comes days after the Minority asked government to furnish them<\/strong><\/span><\/a> with the full list of active presidential staffers.<\/p>\n According to them, the government had delayed in presenting the list as required by the Presidential Office Act although they have already spent 10 months in office.<\/p>\n A presidential staffer under the Mahama administration and Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Clement Apaak had said that although government cannot be accused of breaching the law, it will be in the best interest of the presidency and parliament to have the list in order to guarantee transparency and accountability.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a requirement per the Presidential Office Act 1993, that the office of the president should furnish parliament with the full list of persons working at the presidency and that includes presidential staffers\u2026. We are not saying that government has breached the law\u2026. But we believe that at this time the government has settled in and all the staff that the presidency needs to be able to function to its optimum is in place, and therefore the time has come for us to know who they are and what positions they occupy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Marian Ansah & Duke Mensah Opoku\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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