Iddrisu Musah, a former Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tamale, has voiced strong opposition to the recent abolition of certain ministries as part of the Government’s initiative to operate a leaner administration.
In a statement shared with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Iddrisu, also known as Musah Superior, described the scrapping of the National Security and Sanitation ministries as “unnecessary and wrong,” arguing that these ministries were “relevant and critical” to the nation’s welfare.
“These Ministries are relevant and critical. The National Security Ministry particularly requires cabinet-level supervision to ensure that the security regime in the country delivers its mandate both internally and externally without challenges, to keep the nation and its citizens safe at all times,” he said.
The changes were part of President John Dramani Mahama’s decision, through the Civil Service (Ministries) Instrument, 2025 (E.I. 1), signed on January 9, 2025, to reduce the number of ministries from 30 to 23. Notably, a new ministry dedicated to Youth Development and Empowerment was established, and the Ministry of Local Government was expanded to include Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, now called the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.
Musah Superior also criticized the creation of the Ministry of Youth Development, suggesting that such matters should be incorporated into the education and training curriculum, rather than managed by a separate ministry.
He proposed that a dedicated desk within the Presidency for youth development would have been a more appropriate solution.
Regarding the inclusion of agribusiness in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, he remarked, “Adding agribusiness to the Ministry of Trade and Industry when there is a mother Ministry for Agriculture is not a coherent decision. A vibrant unit under the Agric Ministry could handle agribusiness.”
Mr. Iddrisu concluded by urging the Government to fulfill its promise to abolish certain taxes, including the e-levy, betting tax, and COVID-19 levy, stressing that “Ghanaians are anxiously looking forward to this policy coming to fruition.”