Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko has urged the government to enhance transparency and accountability in public spending, particularly regarding cost-saving initiatives.
He commended President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to reduce the number of ministers from 86 to 60 but emphasized the need for a clear breakdown of the financial savings generated from the move.
He argued that showcasing the exact amount saved and how it is utilized would set a precedent for future administrations to maintain a lean government.
Speaking on the Oxfam Tax Dialogue on Channel One TV on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, the Asuogyaman MP stressed the importance of citizens seeing tangible benefits from the taxes they pay.
He believes that demonstrating how tax revenues directly contribute to infrastructure and public services could boost compliance and trust in the system.
“If in all communities we show them that all the street lights, for example, are because of the property rates that you are paying or all the roads we are providing are from the property rates we collected, that alone can motivate people to say that we are seeing what the funds are being used for.
“That is why with President Mahama’s decision to reduce the size of government, I am calling for it to be costed to show that the reduction from 86 to 60 has saved us this amount of money as Ghanaians.
“We can then use that money to do something and inscribe on it in a way that will make Ghanaians see the opportunity cost of doing this or that. So if we decide that tomorrow we are going to increase the ministers from 60 to 61, it will be at the expense of a thing or two.
“If we do that, the next government will not try to appoint more than 60 ministers, because Ghanaians could say that when we reduced the size of government, this was the amount we were able to save,”** he stated.
Nyarko’s remarks highlight the growing demand for fiscal responsibility, as citizens expect their leaders to justify government expenditures and ensure efficiency in public administration.