The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has criticised his colleague Members of Parliament for justifying the number of government appointees through the approval of six Ministerial nominees.
The swipe comes after the Presidency released the report on the number of staffers at the Presidency.
The number of employees has increased from 934 in 2020 to 995 in 2021 and 1048 this year.
The North Tongu legislature believes rejection of the new nominees would have sent a strong signal to the government about the protest to its large size.
“I am sure that if last Friday, March 24, all 136 of us had voted rejecting those new 8 appointees, I don’t think President Nana Addo would have had the courage to do this. In the sense, I’m forced to blame some of my colleagues, the traitors among us who have brought us here”.
“Because we are basically emboldening this President, telling him that he can do his worst because allies within the opposition will continue to cheer you on in secret. We will continue to endorse your callous policies. And I am deeply pained, so horrified and hurt by the treachery of some of our colleagues”.
A document submitted to Parliament by the Office of the President revealed that 1048 staffers work at the Presidency serving various administrative and domestic roles.
The report submitted to Parliament is in accordance with section 11 of the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463).
The report covers three key areas, namely the number of Presidential Staff employed at the Office of the President during the period, the ranks and grades of these staff, and employees of other Public Services assigned to the Office of the President.
The report revealed that during the reporting period, there were two (2) Ministers of State and forty-four (44) Senior Presidential Staffers at post. The other Political Appointees at the Office of the President numbered three hundred and fifteen (315).
