Franklin Cudjoe Urges Government to Trim Ministerial Appointments to Save Over GHS 2.5 Billion
Franklin Cudjoe, Founder and President of IMANI Africa, has proposed that the Ghanaian government could save more than GHS 2.5 billion by reducing the number of ministerial appointments and eliminating additional allowances granted to officials named under Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution.
Speaking at the recent “Elections and Anti-Corruption: What is the Next Government’s Agenda” forum, held as part of the Pledge Against Corruption Initiative, Mr Cudjoe highlighted that streamlining government expenditures is critical in light of Ghana’s fiscal challenges.
“If we manage to reduce the ministerial appointments by around 50 to 60 positions, we can save an estimated GHS 1.3 billion over a four-year term,” Mr Cudjoe asserted.
He also emphasized that by further rationalizing budget allocations and cutting excessive allowances to Article 71 holders, the country could make a further GHS 1.2 billion in savings, underscoring the cumulative savings that could significantly improve Ghana’s fiscal outlook.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) championing the Pledge Against Corruption Campaign have urged political parties to sharpen their focus on anti-corruption measures in the run-up to the 2024 elections, underscoring the need for robust commitments in party manifestos to address longstanding transparency and accountability concerns.
The Pledge Against Corruption campaign, driven by the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Natural Resource Governance Institute, Africa Centre for Energy Policy, IMANI Africa, Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), aims to accomplish three objectives: raise public awareness of the need to safeguard electoral integrity, promote sustained political accountability, and secure enduring anti-corruption commitments from political leaders.
