Most Important Ministries in Ghana
There are currently 25 substantial ministries aside the ten regional ministers responsible for the political administration of the country’s ten regions. Out of this, 19 of them are within the cabinet. Each ministry is headed by a minister and one or more deputies.
Ghana’s
Most Important Ministries
There is no constitutional limitation to the number of ministries a government can create in Ghana. As a result, some governments have often merged some of the ministries into one in an attempt to cut down on public expenditure and the related costs on the state. On the other hand, others have often created extra ministries with the explanation that such was necessary to help ensure division of labour and bring in efficiency in public administration.
Although there are specific ministries responsible for carrying out specific tasks, often times, extra ministries are created with the designation Minister of State at the Presidency. Such ministers are often assigned to specifc key sectors of the economy and can be as many as a government deems fit.
There are currently 25 substantial ministries aside the ten regional ministers responsible for the political administration of the country’s ten regions. Out of this, 19 of them are within the cabinet. Each ministry is headed by a minister and one or more deputies. There is also a Chief Director who is considered the administrative head of the ministry.
All those appointed to head the various ministries are subjected to Parliamentary vetting and approval prior to taking office. They can be reshuffled as and when the president and his government desires.
Below is a list of the most important ministries in the country.
| Rank | Company | Country | Sector | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration |
Ghana | Government | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is one of the strategic ministries in the country responsible for overseeing the country’s foreign policy implementation, international diplomacy and its relations with its peers. The ministry co-ordinates the activities of the various embassies, consulates, high commissions and contact offices worldwide as well as contact offices and representations to international and regional bodies such as the UN and its agencies, WHO, FAO, AU, ECOWAS, among others. The Foreign Affairs Ministry is often headed by an astute politician or diplomat with a high expertise of international diplomacy and appeal both to the international community and the Ghanaian people. The sector minister is part of Cabinet, a group of ministries and their respective ministers considered most important to the implementation of a government’s policies. The ministry and its sector minister is often seen as the face of the country in the international stage. |
| 2 |
Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning |
Ghana | Government | The MoFEP is in charge of the economic management of the country, raising, allocating and spending of state revenues. It is also responsible for the fiscal and monetary health of the country as it sets and works towards achieving fiscal and monetary targets for the government. The ministry works hand in hand with the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and other financial and economic sector institutions to create and sustain a stable and robust economy and a good fiscal regime to, among other things, inspire investor confidence and give the government of the day a good image locally and internationally. It also prepares, presents and implements the government’s Budget and Economic Policy Statement on annual basis. Its Public Investment Unit is responsible for managing as well as coordinating government investments in both public and private companies. Key institutions under it include the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), among others. |
| 3 |
Ministry of Trade and Industry |
Ghana | Government | The Ministry of Trade and Industry is considered the lead policy advisor to the government on trade, industrial and private sector development. It is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies for the promotion, growth and development of domestic and international trade and industry. It also ensures that Ghana derives maximum benefit from international trade relations and that domestic trade is conducted in a smooth and orderly manner. Additionally, the ministry advocates for the private sector within government and is the principal agency responsible for monitoring and implementing the government’s private sector development programs and activities. Key institutions under it include the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC), National Board for Small Scale Enterprise (NBSSI), Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB), the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), among others. |
| 4 |
Ministry of the Interior |
Ghana | Government | The ministry is responsible for the internal security of the country and the maintenance of law and order. The country’s police, prisons and fire service are under this ministry. Its functions are sub divided into seven: ensuring adequate protection of life and property ; ensuring effective and efficient crime prevention and detection ; strengthening disaster prevention, management and social mobilisation ; regulate and monitor the entry, stay and exit of nationals of all countries ; develop a highly efficient and humane custodial and reformatory system ; improve institutional capacity as well and improve the public relations system. Key agencies and institutions under it include the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Narcotics Control Board (NCA) and the Ghana Refugee Board. |
| 5 |
Ministry of Defence |
Ghana | Government | The Ministry of Defence is in charge of Ghana defence system in the sub regional, continental and global arena. It coordinates the activities of the Ghana Armed Forces. The sector minister works hand in hand with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who heads all the three divisions in the army and reports directly to the President, the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defence ensures that personnel of the various forces in ever ready to defend the country in the subregion, continent and global stage while contributing to peace and stability in the international arena. Past and present presidents have often appointed people of trust or those they have some personal relationship to head this ministry due to its sensitiveness both internally and internationally. The sector minister is part of cabinet. |
| 6 |
Ministry of Justice and Attorney General |
Ghana | Government | In Ghana, the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General Department are lumped together and headed by one person. As a result, the ministry acts as the chief legal advisor to the government of the day as well as ensures that the country’s laws are applied fairly. The ministry is aided in to work by a Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) and a bunch of state attorneys who take cases for the government. Attempts to decouple the Ministry of Justice from the Attorney General Department has not yielded any fruits due to divided opinions from the legal and political community. |
| 7 |
Ministry of Energy and Petroleum |
Ghana | Government | The Ministry was known as Ministry of Energy until January 2013 when it was renamed Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to reflect the country’s status as an oil producer. Ghana discovered oil in commercial quantities in 2007 and started production in late 2010. The ministry is responsible for formulating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating policies in the energy sector. It also manages the country’s energy system. It coordinates the activities of power-sector players such as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDco), Volta River Authority (VRA), the Northern Electricity Department (NED), the Tema Oil Rfinery (TOR) and Bulk Oil Distribution Company (BOST), among others. Additionally, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum formulates and coordinates policies relating to the country’s upstream petroleum sector, negotiates and issues oil and gas contracts, oversees the operations of the oil companies and initiates the necessary regulations to protect the sector. |
| 8 |
Ministry of Communications |
Ghana | Government | Ghana’s Ministry of Communications is responsible for the communication sector and all other issues within. Its mission is to facilitates the development of a reliable and cost effective world-class communications infrastructure and services driven by appropriate technological innovations to enhance the promotion of economic competitiveness in a knowledge-based environment. The vision of the ministry is to manage the convergence of communication and technologies to promote a viable integrated national development process within a global setting. The ministry has oversight responsibility on the country’s telecommunication industry and by extension the operations of the telecommunication companies. Key institutions under it include the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA), the Ghana Post Company Limited and National Data Protection, among others. |
| 9 |
Ministry of Information and Media Relations |
Ghana | Government | The ministry is responsible for communicating government policies to the people and sampling the people’s views about such policies back to government. It works closely with the local and international press, organises press conferences for the various ministries and, in conjunction with the president’s communication team, manages communication and media related issues at the presidency. Its mission is to facilitate a two-way free flow of timely and reliable information and feedback between the government and its various publics ; to assist in the development and coordination of policy and to monitor and evaluate the implementation of programs and activities by the sector agencies. Institutions such as the General Administration, Information Services Department (ISD), Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) are under it. |
| 10 |
Ministry of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs |
Ghana | Government | The Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs Ministry was created under the recommendation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in 1993 and has since changed names under different governments. It oversees the activities of all state institutions that have something to do with chieftaincy and by extension culture. Its vision is to preserve, sustain and integrate the regal, traditional and cultural values and practices of the country to accelerate wealth creation and harmony for total national development. The mission is to educate chiefs on government policies for good governance and conflict resolutions among the various cultural groupings. Also by supporting the various chieftaincy and cultural institutions administratively, financially and review the various chieftaincy and cultural legal framework, to conform to international best practices. |
| 11 |
Ministry of Education |
Ghana | Government | The overall goal of the Ministry is to provide relevant and quality education for all Ghanaians especially the disadvantaged ones, to enable them acquire skills which will make them functionally literate and productive to facilitate poverty alleviation and promote the rapid socio-economic growth of the country. |