Vice President justifies visits to gov’t offices

Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has defended her office’s working visits to ministries and state institutions amid criticism that the exercise wastes time and public resources.

Delivering the keynote address at the Oxford Africa Conference at the University of Oxford, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the visits were designed to keep government leadership connected to implementation and public service delivery.

She explained that the initiative was introduced through collaboration between the Office of the Vice President and sector ministers.

“I introduced an approach to the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with our ministers to organize working visits to our ministries and key institutions,” she said.

According to her, the visits were structured around a clear order of priority.

“These visits began by prioritizing key ministries, then those run by women, then by first-time ministers, and we are in the process of finishing our visits to all the ministries,” she stated.

The Vice President said the exercise had exposed the dedication and innovation taking place within government institutions despite limited resources.

“I am proud to report that across our government, our leaders in their various capacities are doing innovative work with what they have,” she said.

She added that the visits also sought to highlight the contributions of workers who are often overlooked in governance discussions.

“We are highlighting the often unglamorous but critical work that these ministers, their chief directors, agencies, staff, cleaners, drivers, interns, and other essential workers are doing every day,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang noted.

The approach has, however, attracted criticism from some political commentators and opponents who argue that the tours amount to an unnecessary drain on state resources and official time.

NPP-leaning broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere has been among the outspoken critics of the visits, questioning their relevance and impact.

Responding indirectly to such concerns, the Vice President argued that governance must remain grounded in practical engagement rather than isolated decision-making.

“We are trying to ensure that governance remains connected to implementation and that leadership does not become concentrated within small circles or working silos,” she said.

She also stressed the importance of strengthening institutions rather than abandoning them during periods of public frustration.

“Even when institutions frustrate us, as they often do, we cannot afford to abandon them without serious reflection on what replaces them,” she added.