Story by: Yunus Swalahudeen Wakpenjo
Source: Millennium news
Member of Parliament for north Tongu and former minister for education in charge of tertiary, Okudzeto Ablakwa has argued that article 256 be repealed from the constitution of the republic of Ghana.
“ I am always of the view that article 256 which mandate the president to appoint regional ministers. We don’t need regional ministers” he insisted.
Meanwhile the article 256 stipulates that;
(1) The President shall, with the prior approval of Parliament, appoint for each region, a Minister of State who shall— (a) represent the President in the region; and (b) be responsible for the co-ordination and direction of the administrative machinery in the region. (2) The President may, in consultation with the Minister of State for a region and with the prior approval of Parliament, appoint for the region a Deputy Minister or Deputy Ministers to perform such functions as the President may determine.
However, the legislator hold the view that, the country does not need regional ministers.
“ lets’ commit proper decentralization, lets’ the MMDCES’ operate in their full capacity, let us amend article 256” he argued on metro television, a Ghanaian base tv channel.
He challenged people in government to desist from the habit of centralized decentralization. Stressing that, “we either centralize or decentralized and stop the habit of centralized decentralization”
His comments came in the wake of document submitted to parliament to insinuate ministerial strength of government in his supposed second term.
The government has in the document suggested a lean government of 27 sector ministers and sixteen regional ministers without their deputies, praying for the approval of the parliamentary appointment committee.
Okudzeto commended government for his decision not to appoint for various regional ministers, deputies. He believed that is a step in the right direction.
He further argued that the country has not achieved holistic decentralization in the area of health and education. Citing that, contracts and services relating to these sectors are awarded by central governments, often without the knowledge of various local authorities in the district and municipal levels. Yet, blames are accorded to authorities at those local governments for failed execution by contractors.
The legislator further established that, if proper decentralization is achieved, he is of the view that, the entire country can be governed by 15 sector ministers.
Nonetheless, Ablakwa stresses that the government has not achieved any credit to his administration by cupping on his ministerial appointment. Adding that, the numbers are down because the reality has dawn on the government after the 2020 general election, because now he does not have the numbers to flaunt.
“ verdict delivered by Ghanaians forced the president to take a step on reducing the size of his government . He does not have the numbers” he said.