The Information Minister, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid thinks that the number of staffers at the Presidency should not be a matter of concern but a commitment to protect the public purse should be the issue.
According to him, in 2017 for instance, the budget for government machinery was Gh₵1.5 billion under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as against President John Mahama’s Gh₵3 billion in 2016, with a lesser staff number at the Presidency.
To him, “it is possible for two people presiding over a nation to squander its resources as opposed to a 100 people who are more prudent and more committed to saving the national purse.”
“I think that the argument about protecting the public purse in my view, has more to do with the attitude and commitment of the people who preside over the public purse,” he said in a radio interview on Accra based Joy FM Monday morning and monitored by Graphic Online.
President Akufo-Addo last week forwarded a list of 998 current staffers and ministers of state under the Office of the President to Parliament for purposes of accountability.
The list, which is for the period January 7, 2017 to December 31, 2017 is in line with the constitution and the Presidential Office Act 1993 which enjoins the Presidency to annually brief Parliament on the list of persons who work at the Presidency.
The list shows the ministers of state at the presidency, persons working directly at the office of the president, senior presidential advisers, presidential staffers, and presidential aides and employees of other Public Services assigned to the Office of the President.
The list has angered many with some accusing President Akufo-Addo and his appointees of double standards, especially as in opposition, they complained about the 768 staffers of the Mahama administration and said the numbers were too high.
Responding to the concerns in the Joy FM interview, Dr Abdul-Hamid said: “in 2016, they [Mahama] had about Gh₵3 billion and then we came in 2017 with Gh₵1.5 billion” as budget for government machinery.
According to him, even though critics of the 998 staffers at the Presidency under Akufo-Addo thinks it is too high, it should be noted that the budget for government machinery under President Mahama in 2016 is about 100 percent higher than that of President Akufo-Addo in 2017.
He said there are over 200 people who have been recruited anew under the current President.
“We have already said that the other 700 people are already people who are existing in bureaucracies already and really, when a new government come in… there are few more people that you will employ depending on your project and programmes to advance the course of the nation.”
“I think that the argument about protecting the public purse in my view, has more to do with the attitude and commitment of the people who preside over the public purse.”
“It is possible for two people presiding over a nation to squander its resources as opposed to a 100 people who are more prudent and more committed to the saving of the national purse,” Dr Abdul-Hamid added
“Our list for example is a little above the President Mahama list but if you look at the budget of the office of government machinery under President Mahama, it is above the budget of President Akufo-Addo,” he said.
Source: Graphic.com
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MUSTAPHA, your source is important, dont think we are have cotton wool in our skulls, the expenditure is a public document, tell us your source and stop this needless justification, you guys have faulted big time, accept it and do something about it instead of this needless sourceless comparison
I AM NOW SICK AND TIED OF THIS SCHEMING IN THE NAME OF PROPAGANDA. THE NPP HAS SPEND TWO YEARS IN GOVERNMENT DEFENSING BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEGLECT TO PREACH WHAT THEY TOLD GHANAIANS. I AM SO A SHAME TO BE A GHANAIAN. THERE IS NO DIRECTION ONLY BIG ENGLISH AND ABUSE OF POWER IS WHAT WE SEE. MUSTAPHA LIES ANY LEAST OPPORTUNITY HE GETS BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT THINKING. I WANT TO TELL THEM WE ARE READING THROUGH WITH THEIR TRICKS TO PERSECUTE THE APPOINTEES OF THE FORMAL GOVERNMENT JUST TO SHUT THEM INTO SILENCE SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR THINGS. GHAMAIANS WILL FIGHT BACK. ENOUGH OF THIS RECKLESSNESS.
Please let compare npp, last year mattress was 550 - 600, this year same mattress is 950. fuel prices during mahama's times was npp please put it there for me. claiming to have done alot but their own people are not feeling it. They should continue tickling themselves and laugh 2020 will come
Comparing first year staff at the presidency of Mahama and Akufu-Addo should break no bones. When you are done, compare the achievements between the two during their first years. I can't remember what Mahama did when he became president from 2012 to 2013. Maybe, someone will help me. But I can remember at least, Free SHS during the first year of Akufo-Addo. At least the Akufo-Addo staff were made to work for the benefit of the whole country in their first year.
ITS NOT POSSIBLE TO COMPARE PRESIDENT MAHAMA'S FIRST YEAR TO PRESIDENT NANA ADDO.S FIRST YEAR IN REGARDS TO BUDGET. NANA ADDO'S FIRST YEAR IS FIVE YEARS FROM MAHAMA'S FIRST YEAR AND YOU KNOW WHAT? 1. SALARIES HAVE BEEN INCREASE MANY TIMES 2. COST HAS GONE UP 3. TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED ETC. SO THOSE CALLING THE 2 1ST YEARS SHOULD COME AGAIN.
1. Government is continuous. 2. Have you asked yourself the quantum of work involved? They have to work on project left behind by previous government in 2016 not 2012 and the the same time initiate their own 3. It is not as simple as laying JM's people off. Remember these people will need to take care of their family members. 4. So ultimately it comes to cost benefit. How much are they spending on the 998 compared to previous spend when the no. was less. It is called doing more with less and that is what even corporate organisations are doing. 9s day poeple.
Please tell us how much mahama spent in his first year in office to Akuffo Addo's first year in office please. Is only fair not first year to someone's last year.
I will advice this government to rather compare ndc's first year in office to their first year in office. They will realize how super incompetent they are. 2016 was election year and a government that wanted to complete all his project to win election will definitely spend more.
@Evil NDC Party, if "SOME" NDC ministers took double salaries and it is not right why should NPP ministers today be taking rent and at the same time living in Government bungalows? The definition of politics in Ghana by NDC and NPP is very pathetic because when it suits any of them it is ok but when it does not it is evil. I pity those who line up to vote for them.
Please if Ghanaians don't appreciate the lean staff sack Mahama or the NDC people working at seat of Government. After all they will leak information to NDC.