The Minority caucus in Parliament is demanding a merger of some ministries ahead of the vetting of six new ministerial nominees to fill vacancies as a result of resignations and removal from office.
Three ministers, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Kojo Kum have resigned.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has therefore nominated new people to fill the vacancies, elevated two deputy ministers to a status of ministers and one deputy ministerial nominee.
But at a press briefing ahead of the vetting Monday morning, the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson raised issues with government expenditure and therefore called for a reduction in ministerial appointees.
The Minority said the President should merge some ministries and reduce the number of presidential staffers.
Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said with the prevailing economic crisis, it is untenable for the president to appoint more ministers, burdening the already distressed public purse.
He suggested that Food and Agriculture should merge with Fisheries and then Chieftaincy should also merge with Tourism and also argued that Sanitation and Local Government can also be merged to help reduce the size of the government.
In addition he said Information and Communication can also merge same as Transport and Railways
Reacting to the call by the national leadership of the National Democratic Congress to reject the nominees, Dr Forson said the Minority caucus will participate in the vetting but will reject the approval of all the nominees.
“We in the Minority wish to make it clear that we remain committed to ensuring greater scrutiny and will spare no effort to protect the public purse. In line with this, we are taking part in the vetting process so that at the very minimum, we can scrutinise the President’s decision in bringing up those nominees. However, the Minority will not subscribe to a consensus vote at the level of the Appointments Committee.”
They are also demanding the a reduction in presidential staffers.