Deputy Ministers Should Not Be Written Off - Kwadwo Mpianim

Former Chief of Staff in the Kufour government, Mr. Kwadwo Mpianim has moved to the defense of recently appointed young deputy ministers, rubbishing media criticisms against them suggesting that their youthfulness translates into inexperience. �I don�t think it is right to equate youth with inexperience,� he stated in the interview with Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show. The Public Agenda Newspaper in a publication on Monday suggested that the quality of nominated deputy ministers was generally uninspiring and smacked of inexperience. Mr. Mpianim in the interview stressed the importance of deputy ministers to the functioning of the ministries and suggested that it was pertinent however, for them to gain prior work experience. �A young man who may have left the university at the age of 24 and might have worked for six years in different institutions, may have acquired some experience. Therefore when he goes there (Ministry), he would know what he is doing� he said. The former Chief of Staff added that there were other criterion to consider including: �the persons basic qualifications is important, the persons own experiences in life, where he has worked before, what he can contribute towards the success to running of the country.� According to him, although the person might have all the qualifications needed, �the most important thing is to look at what the person has done with his life after graduation.� The Former Chief of Staff also cautioned members of political parties to be cautious in their defense of their party's policies. �You must defend your government but you must defend your government sensibly. At times, you have to accept that the government is wrong� he added.