Minority says Bawumia’s large staff undermines promise to limit ministers to 50

The Minority in Parliament has taken issue with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), over his recent pledge to limit ministerial appointments to 50 if elected as Ghana’s next president. Dr. Bawumia made this promise during the NPP’s manifesto launch in Takoradi on Sunday, August 18, highlighting that efficient governance doesn’t require a large number of ministers.

However, Deputy Minority Whip Ahmed Ibrahim questioned the sincerity of this commitment. He argued that the number of officials currently working under Dr. Bawumia as Vice President surpasses the number of ministers appointed by the Akufo-Addo government, casting doubt on his ability to follow through on the promise.

“[At] Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s office alone, the number of people, technical advisors, spokespersons who are there, are more than the 123 ministers that he is talking of,” Ahmed Ibrahim pointed out. “When you see anybody who has no official appointment and is using V8, the person works in Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s office. And that is why the land cruisers have now become common.”

He further criticized the notion of reducing ministerial positions while allowing a significant number of special aides to operate under the Vice President’s office. “You cannot operate with 50 ministers and allow over 100 special aides in your office. That too must be worked on,” Ibrahim added.

In addition to these concerns, Ahmed Ibrahim expressed disappointment that the NPP’s manifesto failed to address how the party intends to manage Ghana’s debt. “You have collapsed the economy, and the most serious thing that I was waiting to hear from them was how we are going to deal with the challenge of servicing our debt. I didn’t hear that thing from them. It means they were not trustworthy, and they were not straightforward with Ghanaians,” he said.

Ibrahim also warned Ghanaians about the economic challenges that could arise in 2026 when the country is scheduled to resume debt payments. “Let Ghanaians know that, look, we are not servicing our debt now. We are not paying our loans now. We have been given a period to pay in 2026. Therefore, in 2026, when we start paying our debt, this will be a hardship and challenge because we are deferring all our suffering,” he concluded.

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