AUDIO: Debate on 998 presidential staff needless – NPP MP

Member of Parliament for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency, George Mireku Duker, has described the ongoing debate on government’s decision to ‘over-staff’ the presidency as ‘needless’.
According to him, the number of staffers does not matter; rather, Ghanaians should concern themselves with the input and output of the numbers at the Jubilee House.
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“I think the debate over this issue is needless and will not take us anywhere as a country. Nana Addo is very competent and therefore knows what he is doing and knows those who can discharge their duties effectively and so why should we worry about the numbers when they are capable of working for the country, “he asked on Adom TV’s Morning Show “Badwam” on Wednesday.
The tall list of Presidential staffers has angered most Ghanaians with many accusing the President and his government of deceit after the NPP complained about the 768 staffers who worked as presidential staffers under the Mahama administration.
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Although some government spokespersons have tried to justify the numbers by attributing the situation to the thick number of civil servants left by the erstwhile Mahama administration, the explanation has failed to convince many.
But, Mr. Mireku Duker believes the number is not as important as the value that will be derived from them.
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“Instead of ranting every day, we should rather talk about how their works can affect lives. President has not erred. It’s about protecting the purse and not about numbers”, he claimed.
Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency noted that, in 2016, John Mahama budgeted to spend GHc3 billion on Office of Government Machinery but he ended up spending over GHc6 billion. Twice the amount budgeted for his office.
However, Hon. Mireku Duker said in 2017, the Akufo-Addo budgeted for GHc1.5 billion, twice less the amount Mahama budgeted for in 2016 and a quarter of what Mahama spent in 2016.
“The financial details show how prudent this government is. President Akufo-Addo is protecting the public purse.
In summary, one could say many people spend so few(NPP), while so few people spend so much(NDC). It is like one Minister taking double salary. In absolute figures, you may say they are only 10 appointees in number. But we are actually spending for 20 appointees” he added.
Under this Presidency, we have the following:
1. Free SHS Secretariat
2. Ministry of Inner Cities and Zongo Development
3. Ministry fo Business Development
4. Ministry of Regional Reorganization
5. Ministry of Special Development
6. Ministry of Procurement
7. Ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation
8. Ministry of Planning
9. One District, One Factory
George Mireku Duker is convinced the NPP government is protecting state coffers since “each institution has a direct role to play in realizing the promises we made to the Ghanaian people”.