The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has called on President Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency, downsize his government machinery and cut down expenditure.
According to the Council, this will help build confidence in President Akufo-Addo’s commitment to solving the country’s economic problems. It revealed that this move will demonstrate to Ghanaians that the President means his call for burden sharing and that it is not a political gimmick.
“Urgently downsize government machinery and cut down on expenditure to start building confidence about its commitment in solving our economic problems. From the Council’s perspective, it is important that the Government demonstrates a strong sense of burden-sharing to encourage key bondholders to fully accept the exchange voluntarily.”
Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council
A communiqué signed by the President of the GPCC, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, expressed the need for government and other stakeholders to collaboratively establish a national dialogue forum for regular consultations and engagements on pertinent matters of national interest.
It explained that the downsizing of government should include “explicitly and verifiably cutting down on its expenditure, including reducing the size of the government”, among other areas. This, the Council indicated, is very critical to encourage buy-in from the general public.
Calls for government to salvage the economy
Additionally, the GPCC also requested the government to ensure that the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme does not destroy the financial sector. It highlighted that whatever form the DDEP takes, government must ensure that the financial sector, which is a key pillar of growth for the economy, is not destroyed in the process of the debt exchange.
“The Council acknowledges the setting up of the financial sector stability fund, as a measure to provide support to the financial sector, but the Council expects to see a clear demonstration that the facility is fully funded for implementation, in order to provide full assurance to the financial sector and the banking community.”
Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council
The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council is the latest group to express the need for the President to reduce its government and also exercise caution in the implementation of the debt exchange programme.
There have been several calls by political analysts for the government to make some changes in its cabinet in the wake of the economic crisis.
It will be recalled that an Economist and Finance Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Godfred Bokpin, iterated calls for President Akufo-Addo to reduce the size of his government. He indicated that the President must resign if he cannot manage the country with 40 ministers.
He also stated the need for government to merge some of the ministries, adding that some of the ministers are being idle in their respective ministries.
Similarly, newly appointed Minority Leader of Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, revealed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will not allow President Akufo-Addo to increase the size of government. He explained that the current size of government is too big.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has made some reshuffle within his government, a move a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof Ransfor Gyampo, has expressed his reservation. He lamented that President’s reluctance to reshuffle his ministers is disappointing and insulting to Ghanaians.
Professor Gyampo accused President Akufo-Addo of being adamant about calls by Ghanaians to downsize his government. He asserted that the President’s posturing is a severe affront to the expression of dissent to the democratic principles of the country.
The UG lecturer noted that the refusal of the President to listen to credible public opinions in his view is not an achievement. He revealed that it’s “democratically cruel and backward to have a president who will say the people can make their calls”, but won’t listen.
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