General News of Sunday, 25 November 2018
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2018-11-25
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Information Minister
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has debunked rumours making rounds that the presidency is intending to increase staff strength at the flagstaff house.
According to the minister, the peddlers of the said rumours are either oblivious of the facts on the ground or are poised on spreading falsehood.
“The makers of the claim have either confused Office of Government Machinery (OGM) with Office of the President (OOP) or are only up to political mischief” he said. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah added that, contrary to the claims being spearheaded by the Minority in Parliament, staff numbers at the office of the president is rather reducing.
“Contrary to the claim, staff numbers at Office of the President and even the Office of Government machinery are rather going through a programmed reduction, reducing by 69” he noted.
Addressing what might have caused the confusion, the minister said, peddlers of the rumours were clearly comparing staff numbers at the Office of the President to that of Office of government Machinery.
“The claim of an increase is because the minority is comparing Office of the President(998 in 2018) which was part of the 1697 ceiling, with the entire Office of Government Machinery ceiling for 2019 (1614)” he noted.
Stressing on the need to distinguish the two offices the minister said, ‘there is rather a net reduction of 83 staff at the OGM staff numbers by year end 2019’ adding that “The basic rule of evidence is that he who alleges has an onus to prove. If we do not push people to first prove their claims and instead give them mileage to keep repeating their false claims, only to ask persons against who false claims are made, to rather come forward and prove their innocence, the media will soon be taken for a ride by people who feel all they have to do is make a claim because you will give them space”.
The Minister was speaking at a press briefing to address reports of staff increase at Office of the President on Sunday, November 25