Prez Akufo-Addo told to cut down appointees to aid fight against economic crisis
As part of the fight to curb the hardships faced by citizens, some groups have been engaged in a series of consultations with the government to make herdsway through the logs.
Selected leaders from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as well as members of the citizen’s coalition honoured an invitation by the President H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo at the Jubilee House for deliberations on the IMF deal and also to engage stake holders to find a way around the hardships.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Kojo Asante, Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement, CDD-Ghana, who spoke on behalf of the delegation of CSO leaders, called on President Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency reduce the size of his government to cut down expenditure and reshuffle his ministerial team as signal of a new short term social contract to manage the ongoing crisis.
This act, the Coalition believes will bolster citizens’ confidence in government’s consciousness of their plight and for the short and medium term will be critical in addressing some fiscal issues as the country navigates its current economic crisis.
Coalition for Democratic Accountability and Inclusive Governance (Citizens’ Coalition)
C1173/12 Kotobabi Road, Pig Farm, Accra
P. O. Box GP 17921, Accra Ghana
citizenscoalitiongh@gmail.com; +233-302-230483
PRESS STATEMENT
Monday, November 8, 2022.
Reduce the size of government to cut down cost – CSO leaders to Government
On Friday, November 4, 2022, selected leaders of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including members of the Citizens’ Coalition attended to an invitation by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo at the Jubilee House for a meeting as part of government’s consultations with stakeholders on the ongoing economic crisis and the IMF engagement.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Kojo Asante, Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement, CDD-Ghana, who spoke on behalf of the delegation of CSO leaders called on President Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency reduce the size of his government to cut down expenditure and reshuffle his ministerial team as signal of a new short term social contract
to manage the ongoing crisis. This act, the Coalition believes will bolster citizens’ confidence in government’s consciousness of their plight and for the short and medium term will be critical in addressing some fiscal issues as the country navigates its current economic crisis.
CSO leaders also called for the protection of vulnerable groups during this period. According to Dr. Asante, part of government’s efforts at addressing the economic crisis is rather straining the underprivileged in society. “Interestingly, at the beginning of the economic crisis, the 30% cuts in discretionary budgets affected severely, social protection, while many flagships remained unaffected. Consequently, there is the urgent need for firm assurances that social protection budgets, including Free, Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE), School Feeding Programme, Free, Compulsory Universal Basic Education (LEAP), and complementary education will not be sacrificed but rather increased to protect the poorest from the current harsh economic conditions.”
He further urged government to take advantage of the strong appetite citizens have developed for ‘Made in Ghana’ goods and through facilitating private actions invest in the agriculture sector to grow what we eat and eat what we grow.
In the medium to long term, CSO leaders want government to invest in a strong and capable public service that is efficient, effective and responsive and undertake the necessary reforms to strengthen Ghana’s democracy through reform of the constitution, political campaign financing, local government reforms and passage of the Affirmative Action bill.
CSO leaders shared a document summarising key proposals on taxation, energy and the economy in general.
Below is the list of CSO leaders present at the meeting.
| Institution | Name | Designation | |
| Governance | |||
| 1. | Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) | Mr. Benedict Doh | Finance Manager |
| 2. | Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) | Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh | Executive Secretary |
| 3. | Ghana Center for Democratic Development | Dr. Kojo Asante | Director, Advocacy and Policy Engagement |
| 4. | Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) | Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey | Executive Director |
| 5. | Citizen Movement Ghana – CMG | Mr. Ato Bonful | Member |
| 6. | Citizens Movement Against Corruption (CMaC) | Mr. Edem Senanu | Co-Chair |
| Social Development and Security | |||
| 7. | NETRIGHT | Patricia Blankson Akakpo | Program Manager |
| 8. | SEND Ghana | Emmanuel Ayifah, PhD | Deputy Country Director |
| 9. | Africa Education Watch | Kofi Asare | Executive Director |
| 10. | Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health | Mr. Bright Amissah | President |
| 11. | Oxfam in Ghana | Mohammed Anwar Sadat Adam | Head of Programs |
| 12. | Ghana CSO Platform on SDGs | Levlyn K. Asiedu | National Coordinator |
About Citizens’ Coalition
The Coalition for Democratic and Accountable Governance (Citizens’ Coalition) is a nonpartisan coalition/movement made up of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and individuals that harnesses democratic processes of mass education and mobilization to establish a culture of accountable and transparent governance that actively and consciously responds to the demands of citizens and promotes human rights, peace, constitutionalism and the national interest.
