Mahama’s 60-ministers pledge could save Ghana billions in public funds – IMANI

President John Dramani Mahama’s promise to limit his ministers to 60 could save Ghana billions of cedis in public expenditure over four years, according to IMANI Africa’s IMANIFesto 2024 report.

The President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe in an analysis shared on social media [Facebook] on Tuesday [January 14, 2025], projected that reducing the current ministerial count [appointees] from 110 to 50 could save GH¢316.7 million annually in salaries and accommodation expenses. 

Over four years, this would amount to GH¢1.27 billion in savings, with an additional GH¢1.3 billion saved from reduced ex-gratia payment, bringing the total savings to over GH¢2.5 billion.

He indicated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) appointed 82 ministers between 1992 and 2000. Under the New Patriotic Party (NPP), this figure rose to 93 between 2000 and 2008. 

"The NDC under Professor Mills then reduced this to 75, the lowest on record, while the NPP under President Akufo-Addo raised it to 110, the highest so far," he noted.

The IMANIFesto 2024 report also cites a 2020 World Bank study that links large cabinet sizes to governance issues, including corruption, increased public spending, and higher deficits. 

Mr Cudjoe noted that Ghana’s largest-ever ministerial appointees occurred under President Akufo-Addo, who appointed the most ministers in more than 25 years.