Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-Newly nominated Ghananian President Akufo Addo has come under heavy criticism after appointing a staggering 110 ministers to his cabinet.
According to reports from the West African country Addo appointed 110 ministers with fifty six of them being full ministers, while 50 are deputy ministers and the remaining four are ministers of state.
In a comparison that shows the sheer lack of logic about the move, neighbouring Nigeria, which is more populous has 35 ministers.
Akufo-Addo who was elected last December promising to cut expenditure and fight corruption has come out in defence of the appointments according to a Ghananian publication.
“I’m aware that people are concerned about what they see as maybe the cost of this large government,” Akufo-Addo admitted in an interview on national television.
“It is a necessary investment to make for the rapid transformation of this country” he said and added that ministers “are coming to work, it is not going to be a holiday”.
However some have criticized the move saying he is repaying those who supported him.
“We’re confronted with an elephant size of government and Akufo-Addo has proven that he’s a politician rather than a president,” said Haruna Iddrisu, leader of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament.
Following from the new wave of ministerial intake, the agriculture ministry now boasts a minister, a minister of state and three deputies. Four other ministries also have three deputies and a minister, according to the publication.
Parliamentary sources told Reuters top government appointees receive monthly salaries of about $4,000 (£3,326) in addition to at least two cars, free fuel, a house, free utilities and personal protection.
It is the largest government since the country, of about 27 million inhabitants, adopted a democratic constitution in 1992.
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