President John Dramani Mahama will not appoint Deputy Regional Ministers as part of his commitment to running a lean but efficient government.
This was disclosed by his spokesperson and Minister-designate for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, during an interview on TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
Kwakye Ofosu emphasized that President Mahama is determined to manage the country with a team of just 60 ministers, a significant reduction compared to the 120 ministers under former President Nana Akufo-Addo. He assured Ghanaians that the smaller team would deliver results. “These are some of the ways the president can save money and get the job done, and by and large, Ghanaians have accepted this,” he said.
Drawing comparisons to the previous administration, he criticized the Akufo-Addo government for failing to deliver despite its large ministerial size. “Akufo-Addo had a large government but delivered poor results,” Kwakye Ofosu stated, stressing that the Mahama administration would prove that efficiency is possible with fewer appointees.
A political science professor from the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo, urged President Mahama’s appointees to exhibit vision and set higher standards in their roles. Speaking on the same program, he cautioned them against using the Akufo-Addo government as a benchmark for performance.
“I will urge the appointees to be visionary in all that they do. Set higher standards; don’t use Akufo-Addo as base standards for anything you do,” he said. Prof. Gyampo also advised the new appointees to maintain humility in their dealings with Ghanaians to avoid electoral repercussions in the future.
The president expressed confidence in his appointees, reiterating that their respective portfolios are crucial for driving national development.
