What is the Performance of our Ministers of State?

Introduction:

The Ghanaian electorates have started the process of assessing their Ministers of State and other government functionaries and the opposition parties ahead of the December 2012 general elections. Whilst President John Atta Mills seem to be enjoying the support of Ghanaians to another four year tenure of office, his Ministers have come under intense scrutiny. Here are some of the views of potential voters we spoke to.

Note: These interviews were conducted on 25^th January 2012.

SAMUEL BOATENG (MECHANIC)

“The Atta Mills led administration has done remarkably well over the past few years but I am disappointed by the President over his handling of the Woyome scandal which threatens to cost the administration very dearly in the up-coming general elections.

Why on earth is Betty Mould still hanging around as Minister after she connived with the rogues and criminals in the NPP Party in duping this poor country of so much mi9llions of Ghana Cedis.

I have taken time to listen to the discussion of this scandal on radio every morning when I have the time and it seems to me that that beautiful and yet very corrupt woman knew very well that the monies she was getting the state to pay to Woyome was not right and he did not deserve it.

Why can’t the President summon courage and mount a heavy blow on the jaws of that woman? I just cannot understand. She must be sacked immediately.”

VICTORIA ADAMS (STUDENT)

“If I had the chance of advising the President, I would have suggested that Samuel Ablakwa and Omane Boamah be given full Ministerial roles because the young men are courageous and they brook no nonsense. In fact they are among the few people who form the corner stone of this government and they deserve every commendation. The young men are doing remarkably well with respect to the dissemination of information.

On the other hand it is obvious that Mr. Yielleh Chireh, the Minister for Health, has performed abysmally and he must be replaced as soon as possible else, innocent Ghanaians would continue to die over his handling of matters in relation to health.

His approach to the handling of the doctor’s strike action last year is nothing to write home about and he should have been forced to resign.

You visit the hospital any day and you do not find any willingness on the part of the doctors and the nurses to work hard in saving lives of very sick people.

The whole thing has turned into money and even when you have taken steps to acquire the NHIS cards there are some hospitals that have the guts not to accept them.

Exactly what innovation has the Minister introduced into the health service delivery of this country? Maybe it was a mistake  that he was removed from the Ministry of Local Government to the Health Ministry because the man is just not pulling up and people are dying over his poor handling of that sector on a daily basis”

KOFI TWUMASI (ELECTRICIAN)

“Never did I think that there could come a time when just one man called Woyome could hypnotize a government into accepting crimes it did not commit.

Right before our very noses, the Atta Mills led administration has so poorly managed to curb acts of corruption that are being labeled against or committed by his own appointees and even when they are found out nothing is done about it.

I do not like this government and nothing would ever push me to cast my ballot for them but I have the courage to applaud my opponents when they do the right things. The President started very well and it was very difficult to oppose them because it made no sense but the story has completely changed today.

You wake up every morning and you find that the elements within the administration have handed out a stone to be cast at it. Why are the Finance Minister and Betty Mould Iddrisu still at post? How long will it take the President to notice that these two criminals are stabbing him in the back? It is just amazing!”

LOUIS AMOAH (HOUSE HELP)

“The only good Minister I see in the team of government Ministers is Kwabena Duffour, the Minister of finance. What story could they possibly have to tell if not for the prudent management of this nation’s finances by this man?

A majority of Ghanaians do know very well that monies have found their way into their pockets but because they have high expectations they do not place value on what they have now but I cannot blame them.

Every young man in Ghana today wants to build a house and possibly get himself a beautiful woman to marry. The young women do not also have mercy on the young men. If their lunch or supper is not coming from a restaurant along the Oxford Street of Osu, then you are bound to lose her.

They have now become addicted to chewing chicken and pizza which they know very well that we are not able to afford so we are being forced to go in search of monies which are not easy to come by.

The married men also want to keep at least one additional girl-friend in addition to their wives in satisfaction of their sexual gratification and when that happens, the domestic budgetary allocation would not be met and when that happens they get their wives to grumble and rain insults on a poor Minister who is working so hard that workers of Ghana can have a bit more to send home.

There is only one problem which is that the expectation and to-do-list of many Ghanaians have grown and that is why we keep complaining of no money when in fact we have it more than we have ever had in years gone by.”

GEORGE MBROH (DRIVER)

“After three years of the NDC in office I am very sorry to say that there isn’t much I can say about the performance of its Ministers in office.

The goodwill that the President and his men once enjoyed amongst the Ghanaian populace is fast eroding and I cannot see anything being done to rescue the situation.

What has the President Mills-led administration done so differently from what his predecessor did? What would be the motivating factor for me to go and vote for him in the 2012 elections?

It is the already rich people who continue to line their pockets with huge sums of monies whilst the man dying of hunger is being diagnosed of ulcer. My other major concern has to do with the recklessness and irresponsibility of Irene Naa Torshie Addo. That woman is so useless that I sometimes cannot understand why she still wants to contest to become a Member of Parliament.

Because of her refusal to work side by side with the district assembly of Tema-East, common street lights have not found place in the constituency and thereby residents are not assured of safety during the night. Why are the people who come forward to seek our mandate to represent us as our leaders continue to disappoint us?”

ALI PHOBIA (BUSSINESS MAN)

“I am of the opinion that the caliber of Ministers we have under this administration are better compared to what we have had before. Moreover, most of them improve upon their work mostly during the second tenure of office by the administration and that is evident in the previous administration under for President Kufuor.

However, a few names come to mind and it includes Colins Dauda and the Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo.

The major infrastructural developments initiated by Mr Aidoo in that region are very encouraging and he deserves to be congratulated for a good work done. He is humble and very honest. He does not make promises he cannot keep and he is always willing to offer a listening ear.”

ISAAC APPIAH (DRIVER)

“I strongly suggest that Mr. Joe Giddisu be asked to pack his bags and leave the Ministry of Roads and Highways. The man is just relaxing on the job and commuters are suffering from his approach to the job.

What could possibly explain the reason why that as of now, the Teshie-Labadi road has still not been completed?

I know for a fact that under emergency measures, some huge sums of monies were mobilized for the completion of some major routes within the capital and yet the Roads Minister is not mounting pressure on the contractors to finish the work on time and this has gotten many workers to arrive very late at work and in the final analysis this would have a damning impact on the development of the country”