Mahama’s promise to appoint 60 ministers and deputies will save GHS350m in 4yrs – Ablakwa

North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto has described former President John Dramani Mahama’s acceptance speech after his victory as flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as inspiring and patriotic.

He said Mr Mahama’s pledge to appoint 60 ministers and deputies and also and also prevent all appointees from receiving ex gratia should save the taxpayer GHS35million Cedis.

“John Mahama’s inspiring & patriotic pledge to appoint not more than 60 Ministers & Deputies, and to prevent all his appointees from receiving ex-gratia payments, will at current conditions of service potentially save the Ghanaian taxpayer an impressive GHS350million in 4 years,” he tweeted on Tuesday, May 16.

In his speech at the University of Development Studies on Monday, May 15, Mr Mahama who is the newly elected flagbearer of the NDC said Ghana is still at the crossroads with crippling debt, and an inefficient and wasteful government. We cannot continue this pathway.

In his view, it is a betrayal of the people, as a leader, to keep doing things the same way when the results leave them the poorer.

“I am committed to operating an effective government with not more than sixty (60) ministers. These Ministers together with other appointees of the government will not be entitled to ex-gratia payments after their tenure, as they will commit to that undertaking even before the necessary constitutional amendments, including a review of the controversial Article 71.

“I share the view that Ghanaians in the diaspora must no longer have to renounce their foreign citizenship before they can stand for elections or hold public offices in Ghana. I personally believe most of them make up for their absence with their remittances, and, if conditions improve, a lot of them will return to work home, in Ghana.”