Government spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has denied claims being made about the Mahama administration spending GHS 2.7 billion to fund an excessive number of presidential staffers.
He explained that the allocation covers the salaries and operational costs of multiple government agencies under the Office of Government Machinery, not new appointments.
He described recent statements by opposition figures, including Abu Jinapor, Dr. Gideon Boako and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah as deliberate misinformation meant to mislead the public and undermine President Mahama’s commitment to running an efficient government.
He clarified that the Office of the President is made up of several units, including the General Administration, Office of the Chief of Staff, Vice President’s Secretariat, Cabinet Secretariat, Press Secretariat, and the Policy Coordination and Delivery Unit.
Additionally, he noted that various government agencies that previously operated under now-collapsed ministries have been moved under the Office of Government Machinery for budgetary purposes.
According to him, the reduction in the number of ministries from 30 to 23 necessitated the reassignment of agencies, leading to their inclusion under the Office of the President.
For example, the collapse of the Ministry of Information meant that agencies such as the Ghana News Agency and the Information Services Department were restructured under the Minister of State for Government Communication.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu explained that the budget allocation for the Office of the President, including the widely debated GHS 2.7 billion, caters to salaries and operational costs of multiple agencies, not just presidential staffers. These agencies include the Ghana Publishing Corporation, National Security Council, Research Department, and National Intelligence Bureau (formerly BNI), among others.
He noted that these staff salaries are processed through the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, but for accounting purposes, they are listed under the Office of the President.
Rejecting opposition claims, Kwakye Ofosu emphasized that the restructuring is a cost-saving measure, ensuring efficiency and accountability in government expenditure.
He urged the public to disregard the misinformation being peddled, stressing that President Mahama remains committed to running a lean and efficient government while ensuring continuity in essential government operations.
Despite the John Mahama/Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang led administration’s efforts at reducing costs, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in an interview claimed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is spending more than the New Patriotic Party (NPP) did in Government.
During an interview on YFM, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase – Ayirebi alleged that government spending has increased dramatically under the current administration. “The NPP was paying Ghc326m as compensation for the gov’t machinery but the NDC is now spending Ghc2.7b for the same gov’t machinery,” Kojo Oppong Nkrumah stated.
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