Pressure mounts on Akufo-Addo to reshuffle ministers

In recent times, government has had to take quite a number of steps to alleviate the economic challenges facing the country and citizens.

Inflation is on the rise, translating to high food prices, hikes in petroleum products prices, and generally high living standards and cost of living.

Whilst it is evident there is an economic crunch, government has more often than not, attributed the economic woes in the country to the ripple effects of COVID-19 and the recent Russian-Ukraine war.

Some government officials who have tried to offer some explanations to citizens including the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta have indicated that it is not an issue that is peculiar only to Ghana but a global problem.

And as part of efforts to help the situation, government has reduced salaries of appointees and urged citizens to be more patient as they try to resolve the problems.

Most recently, government went to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout program aimed at supporting the country’s finances. But amidst all these, many including some New Patriotic Party groups have called for a reshuffle of government’s ministers.

These calls mostly are with justifications that new people with new ideas on how to improve the country’s current state will introduce some solutions.

Others are indicating that a reshuffle will boot out ministers who are underperforming thereby reduce the number of ministers and the translating cost on the nation’s coffers.

In July alone, there have been more than 3 groups and individuals asking for a reshuffle of government appointees by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Some of these are compiled in the list below:

Alliance for Footsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA) calls for reshuffle:

The Alliance for Footsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA), a voluntary political platform geared towards promoting the interest of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), just yesterday, on August 2, 2022, called on President Akufo-Addo to reshuffle his ministers.

Kwaku Adomako Takyi, Executive Secretary of the group had suggested in a Rainbow Radio interview that, the reshuffle is long overdue. According to him, the president must take a cue from the incessant calls from Ghanaians from different political and social divides to reshuffle his government.

“In all these, the ultimate goal is to break the 8-year-jinx and in breaking the 8, the concerns of party footsoldiers, party sympathisers and concerns of floating voters, should be addressed.

The concerns point to the fact that Ghanaians need changes in the ministries, state institutions and other state bodies,” he noted.

Kofi Bentil – Imani Africa

Vice President of Imani Africa, Kofi Bentil has also reiterated calls for a reshuffle.

Mr. Bentil said the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo must avoid a cosmetic process and take concrete measures to appease the citizenry in the face of the harsh economic situation.

“A reshuffle will be useful even though it is too little too late at this time to prevent the mess we’re in.

“At least it will remove the constant vexation of seeing over 100 ministers running around when they’ve failed so badly. It will be meaningful if it leads to the removal of all failed ministers and a reduction to 30 ministers.

“It will be most annoying if the failures remain after all the noise of reshuffle. Don’t add insult to injury by doing something cosmetic. Clear the stable. At least save the state some money by removing the waste of over 100 ministers, and try to save whatever shred of faith is left.

“The size and massive cost of government at every level and the crazy expansion of costs to the state from ill-conceived programs and phantom entities (like MIIF and Keta Port) and other non-performing establishments are our problem,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

CPP’s James Kwabena Bomfeh:

The Former Acting General Secretary of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly known as Kabila, joined calls for the president to make changes in his cabinet.

Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, Kabila said such a move by the president will make a powerful statement and send a message to the masses that their plight is being considered.

“Some of the proofs that would show us that indeed you know we are suffering is when you reduce the size of your ministerial appointees…it’s a positive statement. In fact, it’s a powerful statement that no one can argue with,” he said.

Effiduase Asorkore MP, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie:

The Member of Parliament for Effiduase Asokore in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Nana Ayew Afiyie asked that the president reshuffles his ministers considering the many requests by different persons and groups.

In an interview on Wontumi FM, the MP noted that the president will be doing a great service to himself and government if they heed to the calls.

“If they are calling for a reshuffle, you have to do it.

If I was the president, I will do a reshuffle because that is what the people are saying,” he said. “It is not as if they are not aware of a call for reshuffle.

I am sure that even the president himself knows and has heard about the calls for reshuffle. So, it has become topical and if the people are calling for it, I will do it,” he added.

Loyal Patriots of the New Patriotic Party:

Earlier in July, the Loyal Patriots of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to reshuffle the government.

A statement signed by its executives indicated that the president needs to crack the whip on the conduct of some of his appointees to ensure his people are working effectively.

The statement said it has been observed that some of the appointees were becoming complacent and had been seen acting with impunity in some situations.

“COVID-19 is a major economic erosion, which affected every country, especially emerging economies like Ghana and just as we were all breathing cool for a respite, then, came in Russia-Ukraine war. As icing on the cake, this needless war is putting a lot of strain on the world economy and unfortunately, nations such as Ghana, which are not strong enough economically are faced with serious difficulties.