Some of the ministers appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are ready to sacrifice some percentages of their salaries for the success of his administration, a Member of Parliament (MP) has claimed.
George Mireku Duker revealed that some of the ministers are ready to forgo some percentages of their monthly salaries as a means of helping deal with the cost that would come with the appointment of a hundred and ten ministers.
The President has come under heavy criticism for appointing a hundred and ten (110) ministers and deputy ministers.
His critics have argued this is going to cost the nation and not part of the practical means of protecting the public purse as was said by the NPP during the 2016 elections.
In response, the Communications Minister, Mustapha Hamid said the President never promised to run a lean government adding further that President Akufo-Addo is also appointing people based on the needs of the country.
“Nowhere did we ever promise a lean government because in our view it is not the leanness or bigness of a government that determines its output or its ultimate performance,” Hamid argued.
This argument, former MP for La Dadekotopon, Nii Amasah Namoale speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo said was untenable and described it as one which smacks of arrogance.
Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr said this appointment is a ‘record’ appointment as according to him, Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah achieved much with less number of ministers.
But the MP for Tarkwa Nsuaem called on the two and Ghanaians in general not to be worried about the high number of ministers as according to him, the President appointed them because he needed them.
He argued that most of the ministers are also MPs and hence would only take salaries which have slight appreciations.
“Even some of the Ministers are ready to accept pay cuts and would still deliver, it is the end that would indeed justify the means…,” he claimed.
Mireku Duker tasked Ghanaians to watch out for results and mark Nana Addo according to the promises he made during the 2016 elections.
“What we should be watching out for is Nana Addo delivering on his promises…,” he added.
Nana Addo’s appointees would not be the first to be taken salary cuts as former President John Mahama and his ministers took a 10% pay cut which he said would be used for the construction of CHPS compounds in deprived communities across the country.