General News of Wednesday, 28 November 2018

Source: pulse.com.gh

Oppong Nkrumah is confused - Okudzeto Ablakwa jabs

Okudzeto Ablakwa Okudzeto Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has described the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah as confused.

He said Oppong Nkrumah's assertion that the list of Presidential staffers is decreasing instead of a rise indicates that he is confused.

According to the North Tongu MP, “Kojo Oppong Nkrumah is either confused or deliberately throwing dust into the eyes of the public” adding that he believes the information minister has not been properly briefed hence the misinformation.

Last week, the National Democratic Congress MP and a former Deputy Minister of Information said on the floor of Parliament that government was planning to increase the number of staff at the Office of the President from 998- 1614.

A claim that was later denied by the Minister of Information. Oppong Nkrumah clarified that government rather intends cutting down the number, contrary to the claim by the minority.

According to him, in 2018 established posts for OGM was 1697 and that in 2019 it has rather been reduced to 1614”.

But Okudzeto Ablakwa believes the Minister is being dishonest about the real figures. In an interview on Kasapa FM in Accra, he said: "Let us take the people of this country serious, you see what Kojo Oppong Nkrumah is doing is that, he has taken the 2018 allocation, and I think that is even more offensive. In 2017, Ghanaians complained on the 998 that you reported to parliament. You were still insensitive by increasing it again”

Last year, the revelation of the number of Presidential staffers at the Jubilee House caused an uproar among a section of Ghanaians who believe the number is too huge and it is a burden on the public purse.