Mahama's pledge to run lean govt and eliminate ex-gratia could save Ghana GHS350 million — Ablakwa

North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said former President John Dramani Mahama's promise to run a lean government will potentially save the Ghanaian taxpayer an impressive GHS350 million in four years.

In a tweet, Ablakwa describes Mahama's pledge as inspiring and patriotic, noting that it would significantly reduce government expenditure and save taxpayers' money.

“John Mahama’s inspiring & patriotic pledge to appoint not more than 60 Ministers & Deputies, and to prevent all his appointees from receiving ex-gratia payments, will at current conditions of service potentially save the Ghanaian taxpayer an impressive GHS350 million in 4 years,” he said in his tweet.

John Dramani Mahama, Presidential candidate for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has pledged to appoint not more than 60 Ministers and Deputies if he is elected as president.

In addition, he promised to eliminate ex-gratia payments.

In recent years, there have been criticisms of the size of government and the number of Ministers and Deputies appointed under Akufo-Addo's government.

There have been heightened calls for President Akufo-Addo to reduce his “elephant-size” government as a means of cutting down on public expenditure amidst the country’s economic crisis.

“We still stand by the fact that close to ¢6bn ($493m) will be saved for this economy if there is a proper reordering of the ministries, departments and agencies,” Franklin Cudjoe, president of public policy thinktank IMANI Africa told The Africa Report in an interview.