We've saved over GH₵400 million by restructuring the presidency - Kwakye Ofosu

The Minister of State responsible for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, says the government has saved over GH₵400 million by restructuring the Office of the President, as part of efforts to reduce public spending.

Speaking in a radio interview with GBC on Thursday [May 8, 2025], Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said the restructuring forms part of measures taken during President John Dramani Mahama’s first 120 days in office.

The interview followed President Mahama’s televised address in which he gave an account of his first 120 days in office.

According to Mr. Kwakye Ofosu, one of the most notable expenditure cuts has occurred at the presidency.

“If you look at the budget, you see that there have been cuts in goods and services, and capital expenditure. In the Office of the President alone, over GH₵400 million has been saved,” he said.

He attributed these reductions to the President’s decision to form a "lean" government. The number of ministers and deputies has been reduced from 126 under the previous administration to 56, he said.

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said his own ministry illustrates the reduced scale of government operations.

“I am Minister for Government Communications; I also double as the President’s spokesperson. Just before we came to power, the President’s communication outfit alone had 28 people,” he explained.

He said the current setup has only seven staff members handling the same tasks. “All that is done now by seven people,” he added, arguing that the government is demonstrating how to manage with fewer resources.

Responding to claims that the government was making up for the reduced number of ministers by increasing appointments to state agencies, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu dismissed the suggestion as “simply untrue.” He said cuts had been applied across the government.