The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to apologize to Ghanaians for underestimating the complexity of governance and consider appointing more than 60 ministers to address the challenges confronting the nation.
Speaking during parliamentary proceedings today, Mr. Afenyo-Markin emphasized the need for bold and transparent political leadership. He urged the president to re-evaluate the current ministerial structure, particularly the merging of certain ministries, which he believes has placed an overwhelming burden on the limited number of appointees.
This comes against the backdrop of President Mahama’s campaign promise to significantly reduce the size of government. During his campaign ahead of the 2024 elections, President Mahama pledged to appoint no more than 60 ministers as part of his broader agenda to cut government expenditure, improve efficiency, and promote accountability.
The promise was lauded by sections of the public and civil society organizations as a step toward curbing waste in governance. However, the implementation of this promise has faced criticism due to the increasing workload on ministries and the challenges of effectively managing critical national issues with the current setup.
“I will not criticize just because I am in opposition,” Afenyo-Markin stated. “When we make mistakes, we must admit them and apologize. Sixty ministers will not help your political cause. But when civil society comes out with the narrative that everything is done by the political class, instead of us boldly explaining the intricacies of politics, they will fall for the trap.”
Highlighting the pressures faced by ministries such as Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Afenyo-Markin pointed out the challenges of managing peace negotiations, governance, and conflicts under a single ministry. He expressed concern about the efficiency of one minister overseeing such a broad portfolio, warning that the strain could lead to corruption and administrative failures.
“If I were to advise Mr. President, I would say, ‘Mr. President, you can apologize to Ghanaians and say, look, you underestimated the enormity of the task. I think I need to engage more ministers,’” he suggested.
The Minority Leader further noted that merging ministries does not reduce the workload on civil servants, as their numbers remain the same. Without adequate ministerial oversight, he warned, critical issues could spiral out of control.
“Things will soon get out of hand, and you will take the collateral damage. And then they will say there’s corruption. So it is your government. We leave that to you,” he concluded.
