Prof John Osae-Kwapong, Democracy and Development Fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has commended the Cabinet Secretariat’s directive cautioning ministers against announcing major government policies before Cabinet approval, describing it as an essential step to promote policy coherence and discipline in governance.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (28 October), Prof Osae-Kwapong said the directive aligns with Ghana’s constitutional design for policy formulation and ensures that official announcements reflect a unified government position.
“The memo is reminding ministers to follow due process,” he explained. “It’s about ensuring that there is clarity, coherence, and that what is being announced reflects government’s official policy.”
He cautioned that allowing individual ministers to announce major policies without Cabinet clearance could create confusion, mixed signals, and policy contradictions within the administration.
“If every minister announces a new policy independently, you risk chaos and incoherence,” he said. “This directive safeguards against that by insisting that all major policies go through Cabinet discussion and approval.”
Responding to concerns that the directive might slow down government responsiveness, Prof Osae-Kwapong disagreed, saying that structured policymaking enhances efficiency rather than delays it.
“This will not slow down government work,” he noted. “It simply ensures that the right deliberations happen before decisions are made public — especially where a policy impacts multiple ministries or agencies.”
He also highlighted the potential economic implications of uncoordinated announcements, warning that inconsistent policy signals could erode investor confidence.
“Whatever a minister says sends a signal to investors,” he said. “You don’t want unvetted announcements to trigger negative reactions or uncertainty.”
On how to ensure the process remains efficient, Prof. Osae-Kwapong advised the Cabinet Secretariat to prioritise speed without sacrificing deliberation, ensuring that urgent policy proposals are placed on the Cabinet agenda without bureaucratic delays.
“The goal should be to prevent bottlenecks,” he said. “Ministers should get timely audience so that good policies don’t get stuck in the process.”
He concluded by expressing hope that ministers would adhere to the directive to maintain policy coherence and avoid the need for disciplinary measures.
“I hope it doesn’t get to the point of punishment,” he said. “This is really about strengthening governance, not policing it.”
