Member of Parliament for Old Tafo Constituency Dr Anthony Akoto Osei says the country’s growing economic deficit can only be controlled by retrenchment in some select institutions.

He said retrenchment should not be construed to refer to only ordinary workers in the public sector. He suggested that it must go as far as to the presidency.

“That is why I started by saying the president must give every minister proof why they cannot cut their ministry,” Dr Akoto Osei said on TV3’s Hot Issues on Saturday, March 15.

He has also suggested that Ghana’s Parliament, the third arm of government, should have only 100 members.

“Let us come to that decision, then everything is consequential,” Dr Akoto Osei said. “Let us come to that agreement and budget for it.”

The Minority Spokesperson on Finance implied the current 275 MPs also contribute to the rise in the wage bill.

Organised Labour has made this suggestion any time it is blamed for the rise in the wage bill.

Experts have said the introduction of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) is the single factor that is draining the economy and have suggested a deferment of full implementation.

According to Dr Akoto Osei, government even subscribes to that suggestion but has deliberately remained reticent on it.

“For the past three years the budgets that have come don’t use the word deferment, but every action that they are taking implies deferment.”