40 ministers are enough to run this country – PPP

The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) has said one of the key anti-corruption steps its 2020 manifesto will tackle is the appointment of too many people into government.

PPP Communications Director, Paa Kow Ackon, said Ghana does not need more than 40 minsters in government.

“The…issue we have to deal with is to reduce the number of ministers. 123 ministers? What is the point? We think all the regions we have and our population, we should not have more than 40 ministers. 40 ministers is enough to run our country,” he said.

The PPP Communications Director was speaking at the launch of the Citizens’ Anti-Corruption Manifesto on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.

The citizens’ manifesto is a project that seeks to inform strategic policy direction for the political parties before they are elected into office.

The project is funded by STAR-Ghana Foundation with support from UKAid and European Union.

It is titled, “Making All Voices Count in the 2020 Anti-Corruption Agenda of Political Parties’ Manifestoes” and reveals, among other things that, citizens want legislative reforms to prioritise stronger sanctions against proceeds against criminal activity.

On the administrative fronts, citizens proposed that there should be an introduction of anti-corruption and integrity curricula in schools.

Paa Kow Ackon said the PPP will incorporate many of the recommendations in the citizens’ anti-corruption manifesto because, they are consistent with its understanding of good governance.

“It is important for us to also look at the appointment mechanism [of government officials]. You can’t appoint your family friends, colleagues into government. If they misapply funds, you can’t punish them or tell the Special Prosecutor to take them on…these are the critical issues that we must take them on,” he added.

The PPP, founded by Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, formerly a staunch member of the Convention People's Party (CPP), was tipped to be the third force after the NPP and the NDC during the 2012 elections but it failed to impress after the polls.