Former Attorney General Nii Ayikoi Otoo has lambasted the ministerial appointments under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, labeling them as the most excessive and detrimental in the history of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
Speaking on Citi FM on Wednesday, January 7, 2025, during discussions commemorating 34 years of the 1992 Constitution, the NPP stalwart argued that the unchecked bloating of government during Akufo-Addo’s tenure underscores the pressing need for constitutional caps on the number of ministers.
He highlighted that the appointment of over 100 ministers and deputy ministers at the administration’s peak was unwarranted and hampered effective governance, adding that such oversized structures impair coordination and burden public resources.
According to Mr Ayikoi Otoo, large ministerial teams frequently foster rivalry instead of collaboration, with deputies vying against substantive ministers rather than prioritizing service delivery. He cautioned that these internal conflicts ultimately erode efficiency and divert attention from key national development goals.
“Sometimes there are unnecessary appointments, and the worst one is what Nana Akufo-Addo did when he went beyond 100, I was a member of the constitution drafting committee and we were always talking about a lean government. The number of chairs around the table as chairpersons of sectors being the ministers, I don’t think we were even up to 29 around that table.
“I was in charge of governance which had to do with the Attorney General, Police, etc. But then immediately he won the election with that wide margin, then he decided to show appreciation which brought in so many people. It was unnecessary. Most of these deputy ministers tried to undermine and catch the eye of the president. They want to supplant you so you will be changed, and they can take over. I can assure you that a lot of the ministers were not in talking terms with their deputies,” he stated.
The former Attorney General drew a comparison with President John Mahama’s approach, which maintained a more streamlined government of approximately 50 ministers, praising it as a disciplined and constitutionally aligned model that promotes accountability and unity.
Reflecting on his involvement in Ghana’s constitutional drafting, Mr Ayikoi Otoo emphasized that the framers intended a compact executive branch, not one influenced by political patronage systems.
He blamed the expansion under Akufo-Addo primarily on political motives rather than genuine administrative needs, pointing out that the urge to compensate party loyalists resulted in superfluous appointments that muddled decision-making processes.