#SONA2025: Mahama defends ministerial downsizing, urges future governments to follow suit

President John Dramani Mahama has justified his decision to reduce the number of ministers and deputy ministers to 60, citing cost reduction, improved efficiency, and the need to set an example for future administrations.

 Delivering his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, February 27, 2025, he urged successive governments to build on this reform.

Addressing Parliament, Mr Mahama noted that the size of previous governments had placed a heavy financial burden on the state, a concern frequently raised by Ghanaians.

He stressed that the decision was not just about cutting costs but also about restructuring governance to make it more effective.

“I consider the long-expressed sentiment of the Ghanaian people about the sheer size of previous administrations and the associated cost implications,” he said.

“I trust that this reduction to 60 ministers and deputy ministers, including regional ministers, will set the stage for further reductions in future governments.”

Mr Mahama explained that the downsizing was part of broader efforts to realign government spending.

He argued that a leaner administration would improve coordination and decision-making while ensuring that public funds are directed towards development projects rather than an inflated government structure.

Beyond financial savings, he maintained that fewer ministers would help eliminate overlapping roles and bureaucratic inefficiencies that have hampered governance in the past.

The president also called on Parliament to expedite the approval of his deputy ministerial nominees, emphasising their role in supporting ministers to implement the government’s agenda.