Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has described President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Tuesday governmental appointments as no ministerial reshuffle at all.
According to Professor Gyampo, the exercise mainly filled vacancies in government where there have been resignations, complemented with token movements that really do not carry any weight.
In effect, the exercise fell far short of the expectations of members of the public who have been clamouring for a real reshuffle.
Since Ghana’s economy started showing signs of instability, a section of Ghanaians called for a ministerial reshuffle and a downsized government, he said.
Prof. Gyampo made the observation on Wednesday while contributing to a review of President Akufo-Addo’s action.
This call initially was met with indifference. However, when it became incessant the President finally replied saying, “The calls come for all kinds of reasons; NDC wanting to destabilise the government is one. There are people who are also looking for jobs.”
Six months later, President Akufo-Addo reshuffled some ministers in his government.
But Prof Gyampo insists these changes are far from a ministerial reshuffle.
“You don’t know the meaning of reshuffle if this is what you describe as a reshuffle. We called for a reshuffle and this is no reshuffle.
“Ministerial reshuffle is the rotation and changing of governmental ministers by a head of state after a thorough assessment of their performance. But what the President has done is not about a reshuffle, it is basically filling vacant spaces in his government. So filling vacant spaces in government is not synonymous with a reshuffle,” he stressed on Wednesday.
The Political Scientist further accused the President of being insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians.
In his view, the current economy cannot support the elephant size government currently in place and thus, it was an opportune time for President Akufo-Addo to reduce government expenditure by axing some ministries.
“The intransigence about the call for a reshuffle on the part of the President, in my view, is quite snobbish and disrespectful to the people of Ghana. It is also an affront to the expression of dissent.
“Even though the government is calling on us to sacrifice, it still remains over-bloated. How do you ensure that this call gains acceptance when you are not willing to sacrifice,” he told Winston Amoah.