The Minority in Parliament has raised strong objections to the Mahama administration’s GHS2.7 billion budget allocation for the Office of Government Machinery (OGM) in 2025, calling it excessive and contradictory to the President’s promise of a lean government.
According to the Minority, the allocation represents a sharp increase from the previous government’s expenditure. Abena Osei Asare, Member of Parliament for Atiwa East, pointed out that during the NPP administration, the OGM’s budget for compensation stood at GHS326 million, covering multiple agencies, including the development authorities, the national secretariat, MASLOC, and SIGA.
Comparing that to the current administration’s budget, she expressed concern over the dramatic rise in expenditure, particularly since some agencies have now been removed from the OGM’s jurisdiction.
“In 2025, the compensation budget under OGM has skyrocketed to GHS2.7 billion. How does this align with the promise of a lean government?” she questioned.
Tano North MP, Dr. Gideon Boako, further criticized the Mahama-led government’s budgetary priorities, highlighting specific allocations that he believes are unjustified. He pointed out that the research department at the Jubilee House alone has been allocated GHS70 million, with GHS50 million designated for goods and services and an additional GHS20 million for capital expenditure.
Dr. Boako also took issue with the GHS79 million allocation for government communications, which is led by Felix Ofosu Kwakye and deputized by Shamima Muslim.
“Government communication alone has a budget of GHS8.8 million for goods and services. Perhaps some of it will be used for internet data to respond to what the Minority is saying,” he said sarcastically.
He further noted that these figures exceed the combined budgets of three or four ministries under the previous Akufo-Addo administration, challenging the rationale behind such high expenditures.
“This is not the lean government Ghanaians were promised. These allocations are bloated and raise serious concerns about financial prudence,” Dr. Boako asserted.
The Minority continues to demand accountability, arguing that such expenditures contradict the government’s call for fiscal discipline and efficient governance.
