The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says the failure of the Minority to block Akufo-Addo’s new ministers will embolden the president to make more reckless decisions that would negatively affect the public purse.
A report sent to Parliament by the Presidency on Thursday revealed that 1048 staffers work at the Jubilee House.
The report revealed, there were two (2) Ministers of State and forty-four (44) Senior Presidential Staffers at post. The other Political Appointees at the Office of the President numbered three hundred and fifteen (315). This brings the number of political appointees to three hundred and sixty-one (361).
Moreover, in addition to the political appointees at the Office of the President, employees of Public Sector Organizations assigned to the Office were also included.
These categories of staff were from different classes, including Administrative, Executive/Clerical, Records, Secretarial, Budget, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Presidential Household, and staff from the Department of Parks and Gardens, Ghana Health Service, Controller and Accountant General’s Department, Ghana Audit Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Public Works Department (Prestige), and Ghana Postal Company.
“The total number of these categories of staff was six hundred and eighty-seven (687). These categories of staff were appointed by their respective public institutions, and the Civil Service and have always been assigned to the Office of the President during previous governments. The number is an increase on the 2021 and 2022 numbers sent to Parliament in accordance with section 11 of the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463).”
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Thursday, the North Tongu MP accused President Akufo-Addo of being insensitive and reckless despite the crippling economic crisis.
Mr Ablakwa added that the treacherous conduct by some Minority MPs who voted to approve the president’s ministerial and judicial nominees will only encourage the president to take more reckless decisions that ultimately affect the public purse.
“I am sure that if last Friday, March 24, all 136 of us had voted rejecting those new 8 appointees, I don’t think President Nana Addo would have had the courage to do this. In the sense, I’m forced to blame some of my colleagues, the traitors among us who have brought us here”.
“Because we are basically emboldening this President, telling him that he can do his worst because allies within the opposition will continue to cheer you on in secret. We will continue to endorse your callous policies. And I am deeply pained, so horrified and hurt by the treachery of some of our colleagues”.
