John Mahama, the president-elect of Ghana, has acknowledged to his close associates that he might not follow through on his campaign pledge to collaborate with just 60 ministers, according to credible sources.
The source claims that the President is currently facing pressure from the leadership of his party to renege on his pledge in the manifesto to appoint over 60 ministers so that he can work efficiently and without being subject to numerous demands.
According to Article 76 of the 1992 Constitution, the President must form a Cabinet that includes the Vice President, himself, and at least ten and a maximum of nineteen state ministers. Their responsibility is to support the president in formulating the government’s overarching policy.
The constitution’s Article 78 (1 & 2) also grants the president the authority to name as many ministers of state as may be required for the smooth operation of the government, with no cap on the number of ministers the president may choose.
If he appoints the 19 ministers of state and 16 regional ministers, Mr. Mahama’s Cabinet will have 35 ministers if he fulfills his pledge of 60 ministers.
However, If he goes ahead to appoint deputy ministers only for Cabinet portfolios, that will be an additional 19, bringing the number to 54. The president would be left with just 6 more ministers to appoint to reach his 60-minister ceiling.
In a recent statement at a Church service, Mr Mahama indicated that he has too many Members of Parliament (MPs) elected on the ticket of his party, NDC, and simply does not know what to do with all of them.
He further noted that during his campaign, every paramount chief he visited assured him that they would vote for him, however, they wanted their sons and daughters who would win the parliamentary elections to be appointed as ministers.
Mr. Mahama stated that he was concerned about these demands because he was very conscious of his pledge to the Ghanaian people to appoint only 60 ministers.
At least half of John Mahama’s ministers must be chosen by Parliament in the interim.
Credit: asaase radio
