The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has reiterated government’s unwavering commitment to protecting journalists and reducing government expenditure.
Addressing journalists at a press conference on Wednesday, 14th January, 2026, Mr. Ofosu strongly condemned recent assaults on journalists by elements within the security services, describing such actions as “unlawful” and “unacceptable.” He stressed that the interdiction of officers involved was a clear signal of government’s disapproval.
“Let me stress that as President Mahama himself has been at pains to point out, Government does not endorse in any way, shape or form assault, heckling or harassment of any journalist or any other category of professionals for that matter,” he said.
“Those who are engaging in this sort of assault are not going to walk unscathed. The interdiction is only a first step,” he added.
Mr. Ofosu revealed that government would soon engage the leadership of the various security agencies to educate officers on how to relate to journalists, noting that the media play an essential role in ensuring accountability and transparency.
“Indeed, all manner of people who work within the public space are subject to scrutiny and accountability, and therefore, the work you do goes a long way to enhance that. Under no circumstances should you come under attack or any form of harassment because you are doing that. Even when you are deemed to have violated some protocol or some arrangement, the response to that should not be assaults,” he reassured journalists.
Addressing concerns about government’s expenditure, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu emphasized that substantial savings had been made through President Mahama’s cost-cutting reforms, particularly in reducing the number of ministers and political appointees.
“Currently, we have 58 [ministers]. It should have been 60, but for the unfortunate tragedy that occurred on August 6th,” he stated.
Highlighting how expenditure cuts had been made, Felix Kwakye Ofosu illustrated how the reduction in ministerial numbers translates into direct savings.
He noted that with a standard ministerial Land Cruiser costing approximately $120,000, reducing the cabinet from 125 to 60 ministers allows the state to avoid the purchase of at least 65 luxury vehicles. This move, alongside the reduced need for saloon cars and official bungalows, is expected to save the country tens of millions of Ghana cedis.
He further mentioned that similar expenditure reductions had been implemented at the Office of the President, significantly easing the public wage bill.
The press conference formed part of the Government Accountability Series to engage the media on policy implementation and accountability.
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Source: Afote Asomdwoe Laryea/ATLFMNEWS
