President Mahama reduces Ministries to 23 in Civil Service restructuring
President John Dramani Mahama has announced a reduction in the number of government ministries, cutting them from 29 to 23, as part of an administrative restructuring initiative aimed at enhancing efficiency and streamlining government operations.
The re-organisation was formalised through the Civil Service (Ministries) Instrument, 2025 (E.I. 1), signed by President Mahama on January 9, 2025.
The Executive Instrument outlines the newly established ministries and revokes the previous arrangement under the Civil Service (Ministries) Instrument, 2021 (E.I. 12).
The instrument was made in exercise of the power conferred on the President under section 11(3) of the Civil Service Act (copy attached below), 1993 (P.N.D.C.L. 327).
President Mahama has created a new ministry for Youth Development and Empowerment.
This has been done by removing Youth from Sports, and making it stand alone as Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment.
Sports has a new name with Recreation added to it - Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has been added to Local Government - Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.
President Mahama has also highlighted Green Transition and added it to the name of Energy - Ministry of Energy and Green Transition.
Innovation has also been removed from Environment, Science, and Technology and added to the Ministry of Communications with the new name, Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations.
The following are the ones that have been revoked
Information
National Security
Parliamentary Affairs
Railway Development
Sanitation and Water Resources
Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs [Has been added to Local Government]
Public Enterprises
Newly Established Ministries
The following 23 ministries will now be a part of Ghana’s Civil Service:
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of the Interior
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
- Ministry of Roads and Highways
- Ministry of Transport
- Ministry of Sports and Recreation
- Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
- Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations
- Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology
- Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment
- Ministry of Works, Housing, and Water Resources
- Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection
- Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts
- Ministry of Labour, Jobs, and Employment
- Ministry of Food and Agriculture
- Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture
- Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry
Efficiency and innovation at the core
The restructuring aligns with the administration’s goal of optimizing government functions while addressing emerging priorities such as digital technology, green energy transition, and youth empowerment. The consolidation of some ministries is expected to reduce bureaucratic overlaps and improve service delivery.
Key changes include the creation of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, reflecting a growing focus on sustainable energy, and the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, which underscores Ghana's commitment to leveraging technology for development.
Revocation of previous Instrument
The new arrangement supersedes the Civil Service (Ministries) Instrument, 2021 (E.I. 12), marking a shift in the government’s approach to public administration.
The announcement has been met with varied reactions, with some applauding the move for its potential to enhance efficiency, while others await further clarity on its implications for service delivery.
This reorganization comes as President Mahama’s administration seeks to strengthen governance and focus resources on critical areas for Ghana’s development.
60 Ministers pledge
The President during the week reaffirmed his pledge to maintain a lean government with only 60 ministers, even as thousands of hopeful candidates have submitted their CVs for consideration.
Speaking at the Presidential Dinner in Accra on Wednesday, January 8, the President highlighted the challenges of assembling a capable and efficient team amid heightened expectations from Ghanaians.
“I have hit the ground running,” President Mahama stated. “Today, I had several meetings with all our key, multilateral and bilateral partners to try to see how we can kick-start things to make the lives of our people better, to look at issues to do with the economy and all that. And so I expect that all of us who would have a role to play would also be the same.”
He acknowledged the difficulty of selecting a small team of ministers from the overwhelming number of applicants while emphasising the need for a lean and effective government.
“You wouldn’t want to be in my shoes when you’ve promised to appoint only 60 ministers, yet thousands of people are sending in their CVs. Then maybe some people will be disappointed,” he remarked.
Despite the challenges, President Mahama stressed that contributing to the success of his administration goes beyond holding ministerial positions.
“It’s not only by playing the role of a minister, it’s by taking to the senses the many things that we can all do,” he said. “The success of this administration will guarantee us another term, maybe under some other leader. But we need to get this right, so that Ghanaians repose their confidence in us, and give us another opportunity to continue.”
President Mahama submitted his first set of ministerial nominations to Parliament on January 9, 2025), fulfilling a key constitutional requirement following his inauguration as President on January 7, 2025.
The nominations, submitted to the Speaker of Parliament in accordance with Article 78 of the 1992 Constitution, include three individuals for critical portfolios in finance, energy, and justice.
The nominees are:
1. Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson – Minister for Finance Designate
2. Mr John Abdulai Jinapor – Minister for Energy Designate
3. Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine – Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Designate