Rethinking Government Size: Can Super Ministries Deliver Smarter Governance for Ghana?

“As calls to downsize Ghana’s government grow louder, could super ministries offer an effective path forward for a leaner, and more efficient governance?”

Introduction

The democratic progress of Ghana has been characterised by increasing demands for more accountable leadership and better services. At the same time, the structure and size of the central government has remained bloated with overlapping mandates and functions, which undermine efficiency and good governance.

The recent steps by President John Mahama to restructure the government machinery, most notably reducing the number of ministries from 30 to 23 marks a promising start. It signals a recognition that effective governance is about having better coordinated ministries with clear mandates, and not just more ministries. However, addressing the longstanding inefficiencies and redundancies in the governance ecosystem would require transformative and more deeper reforms. One bold option which has gained global traction and is worth exploring in Ghana is the “super ministry” system.

The Super Ministry System

The super ministry system is a governance strategy that consolidates multiple ministries, agencies, or departments that have overlapping mandates into a unified body. The super ministry system has been a popular tool for socio-economic transformation in most advanced democracies with the likes of France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, South Korea, and Argentina, all maintaining less than 20 ministries.

In China, the ‘opening-up’ reforms involved the streamlining of ministries and departments of the State Council, culminating in a super ministry system where the Ministry of Natural Resources now oversees land, forest, and ocean management, resolving conflicting policies. In the United Kingdom, economic and climate change-related policies were consolidated to form the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in a super ministry fashion. In the case of Singapore, a seamless policy framework was achieved by unifying employment, skills development, and labour under the Ministry of Manpower. These examples illustrate how a super ministry system can foster collaboration, eliminate duplication and break down policy silos.

Ghana’s Governance Challenges and Why Super Ministries Matter Now

For some time now, Ghana has grappled with an oversized government. The proliferation of ministries with overlapping, duplicative, and poorly defined mandates has yet to translate into improved services for Ghanaians. Instead, it has resulted to inter-agency competition, bureaucratic confusion, and waste of public funds, as seen in the erstwhile ministries of Trade and Industry, Public Enterprises, and Agribusiness-related functions under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA). President Mahama’s decision to merge these ministries into a single Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry is a step in the right direction, creating an integrated policy framework that is necessary for the empowerment of farmers and traders, and promoting industrial growth. Also, coupling Environment, Science, and Technology under a single ministry bolsters Ghana’s transition to green growth, curtailing conflicting mandates and policy fragmentation.

How the Super Ministry System will benefit Ghana

The super ministry system offers compelling benefits for Ghana if properly implemented and tailored to its needs. Fewer ministries would reduce expenditure on ministerial staff, office space, as well as lower administrative overheads. For instance, Kenya saved over $120 million annually after merging ministries in 2013, while addressing inefficiency and bureaucratic duplication. Similar reforms could help Ghana redirect funds to priority areas like youth employment, education, infrastructure, and health, while also tackling resource wastage and fragmented governance. Another area of benefit is policy coherence; merging ministries would facilitate a more holistic approach to national development and promote a system’s approach to issues such as environmental, transportation, health, trade, and digitalisation. This would facilitate the reinforcement and realignment of policies to minimise contradictions and duplication. Additionally, the super ministry system could improve coordination by reducing bureaucratic turf wars that often stall inter-ministerial efforts, particularly in cross-cutting areas such as climate change, youth empowerment, and economic development. It would also streamline service delivery, reducing the frustration businesses and citizens experience when navigating the labyrinth of multiple agencies and ministries to accomplish a single task. For example, persistent road construction delays in Ghana, often caused by the misalignment between the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Roads and Highways, could be resolved by creating a unified Ministry of Infrastructure, similar to Kenya’s Ministry of Roads, Transport, and Public Works. Additionally, a one-stop-shop system, akin to Rwanda’s investment approval process, could further enhance efficiency.

Addressing potential Risks

Admittedly, the super ministry system is not foolproof. Merging ministries into larger units could make the system unwieldy if not carefully designed and implemented. Moreover, large ministries may suffer from an over-concentration of power, which weaken internal checks and balances. Similarly, valuable institutional memory and knowledge could be lost if the merging process is not carefully managed. Moreover, there is potential for internal resistance from political appointees and civil servants whose privileges may be diminished.

A Roadmap for Success

For the successful implementation of the super ministry system, Ghana could adopt a phased approach, beginning with pilot programmes in sectors where overlaps are most evident. For instance, a new Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development could merge the current Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Roads and Highways, and Ministry of Works, Housing, and Water Resources – refocusing the latter primarily on infrastructure. Another critical step is to develop a comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategy, that includes civil and public servants, trade unions, the private sector, and civil society. This inclusive approach is essential to mitigate resistance and ensure broad-based support for the reforms. Moreover, the revival and use of digital platforms like the e-Transform Project including, e-Governance, e-Services, and the e-payment gateway, could be instrumental for the effective implementation of the super ministry system in Ghana. Finally, establishing a mechanism to monitor progress must be prioritised. Drawing lessons from Kenya’s experience, establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) is crucial for tracking improvements in service delivery, cost savings, and other benefits, thereby creating a feedback loop for system’s sustainability.

Conclusion: A Bold Step in the Right Direction

Ghana faces complex and interconnected challenges, such as unemployment, climate change, and uncontrolled urbanisation, that demand urgent and coordinated solutions. Addressing these challenges requires a governance model that is agile, lean, and responsive to evolving needs. The super ministry system offers a transformative opportunity to harness Ghana’s mature democratic structures and vibrant public sector to deliver citizen-centred governance. Although not a one-size-fits-all solution, it provides a tested and adaptable approach to streamline decision-making, improve efficiency, and eliminate redundancies. With the right design and political will, Ghana can transform its ‘elephant-sized’ government into a catalyst for development. The recent reduction of ministries is a promising start. What matters now is how effectively these consolidated ministries fulfil their mandates and the courage to continue pursuing bold reforms in the national interest. The call is clear: efficiency today for prosperity tomorrow!

Note on the Author: Atanga Raymond Aitibasa (PhD)

The author holds a PhD from the School of Government at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing, China. He is currently a Lecturer at the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Navrongo, Ghana.