Akufo-Addo successfully secured a second term as President after garnering over 6.7 million votes in the December 7 polls (51.30%).
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5 Ministries that are likely to be scrapped in Akufo-Addo’s second term
It’s been almost a week since the inauguration for President Akufo-Addo’s second term was held at the precinct of Parliament.
5 Ministries that are likely to be scrapped in Akufo-Addo’s second term
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By winning the election means many Ghanaians approved of his first term, but in truth, it wasn’t without some criticisms.
One of those criticisms was the size of his government, which the opposition NDC usually described as “elephant size”.
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President Akufo-Addo at his inauguration
Pulse Ghana
Akufo-Addo’s government had 110 Ministers, which caused public uproar, but he justified the numbers by saying he needed all these Ministers to transform the country.
As he begins his second term, though, there are reports that some of the Ministries could be scrapped.
Pulse.com.gh takes a look at some Ministries that could be scrapped or merged in the coming weeks:
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
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The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs came into being under the Akufo-Addo government but it is increasingly looking like it may be scrapped.
The 7th Parliament is on record to have been the most effective in the Fourth Republic but that cannot totally be attributed to the efforts of this Ministry.
And with Ghana’s Parliament currently experiencing a unique situation – a hung Parliament is on the cards – it remains to be seen if this Ministry will be retained, especially when Majority and Minority Leaders can fill in perfectly as was the case before 2017.
Business Development Ministry
Another Ministry that risks being scrapped is the Business and Development Ministry. The Ministry is tasked with ensuring business-friendly, entrepreneurial and innovative business environment.
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However, its roles are very similar to that of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. That is why it is very likely that the two Ministries will be merged in Akufo-Addo’s second term.
Should that happen, there's little doubt that the Business Development Ministry will not be missed at all, since it will now be under the Trade Ministry.
Zongo Ministry
The Ministry for Inner City and Zongo is one that has hugely divided opinions since its creation some four years ago.
The Ministry is mandated to “formulate and oversee implementation of policies, programmes and projects to alleviate poverty and ensure that Inner-Cities and Zongo communities become inclusively developed and prosperous.”
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However, its most-notable contribution to the various Zongos has been more of infrastructure (astroturf pitches) than programmes and policies to combat poverty.
The above roles can easily be integrated into the mandate of the Ministry for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, which is already in charge of liaising between government, traditional authorities, religious bodies and civil society for development.
Office of the Senior Minister
Perhaps, the most criticised portfolio under the Akufo-Addo government, it is highly unlikely that the Office of the Senior Minister will be retained in the President’s second term.
Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo’s mandate over the last four years has been to supervise and ensure prudent economic management.
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However, these are roles that the Finance Ministry can easily perform. In fact, the Finance Ministry was performing this role in the past and can retake it on.
Planning Ministry
The news is that not many Ghanaians even know that such a Ministry exists. On its website, the Ministry of Planning says it assists in ensuring that “the national development trajectory also falls in tandem with and be guided by international development targets such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Agenda 2063.”
However, this is a role that the National Development and Planning Commission (NDPC) already performs.
That is why if Akufo-Addo is looking to cut down the size of his government, it won’t be surprising if the Planning Ministry is scrapped.
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