Afrifa Yamoah Ponko
A stalwart of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Afrifa Yamoah Ponko, says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo should not be criticised for appointing 110 people to serve in his government.
Mr Ponko, the immediate-past Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ejisu, said the President has the prerogative to appoint many ministers to help him prosecute his agenda and that he had not violated any law of the country.
Speaking to Abusua Fm in Kumasi, Mr. Yamoah Ponko, who was a staunch critic of President Akufo-Addo ahead of the 2016 polls, stated that people quickly criticised President Akufo-Addo for appointing 110 ministers.
The outspoken NDC member added that the President has the mandate from Ghanaians to steer the affairs of the country for four years.
If approved by Parliament, the Akufo-Addo administration would have the highest number of appointees under the fourth republic.
Mr. Yamoah Ponko said in as much as he does not support the NPP government, it was inappropriate for anyone to criticise the President who has not abused his authority.
He said: “The President can appoint over 1,000 ministers and there will be nothing wrong with it, because he has the mandate of Ghanaians to do that. Akufo-Addo can even appoint ministers for Koobi and Momoni and no one has the right to question him because Ghanaians have given him the mandate to do so.”
“Ghanaian voters must assess the President they voted for on his performance after the four-year tenure, and he needs to be given time and space and not to choke him on appointments.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi