Reducing ministers to 60 will fix nothing, it’s about better decisions – Former MP Dickson Kissi

Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, former Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom, has cautioned President John Dramani Mahama that simply reducing the number of ministers to 60 will not resolve the nation’s challenges.

Speaking on ABC News GH’s “ABC in the Morning” on Friday, January 10, Dr. Kissi emphasized that the true issues facing the country lie in decision-making and the misappropriation of state resources, not in the size of the government.

“It is not the number that caused the nation’s problems,” Dr. Kissi stated.

“It is more about the decisions made and the scale of mismanagement.”

Kissi’s remarks follow President Mahama’s announcement that he would run his second term with a lean cabinet of only 60 ministers, a promise made during his campaign for the 2024 election.

Speaking at a Presidential Dinner in Accra on January 8, Mahama acknowledged the complexity of this task, noting the thousands of CVs submitted by hopeful candidates.

“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,” Mahama remarked, expressing the difficulty of balancing public expectations with the need for a capable team.

Despite the challenge, Mahama emphasized that the success of his administration extends beyond ministerial appointments.

“The success of this administration will secure us another term, perhaps under a different leader,” he added, stressing the importance of learning from past mistakes to avoid repeating the errors made by the previous administration.

On January 9, Mahama announced his first set of key ministerial appointments, naming Dr. Cassiel Forson as Finance Minister, John Jinapor as Energy Minister, and Dominic Ayine as Attorney-General.