The Office of the Cabinet Secretary has issued a directive reminding all Ministers of State to adhere strictly to established Cabinet procedures before publicly announcing any government policies or programmes.
The notice comes in response to a growing trend where some Ministers have announced major initiatives on behalf of the Government without prior discussion, review, or approval by Cabinet.
The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, on Friday, October 24, directed the use of local languages to teach students in basic schools. On Saturday, the Minister also directed the Ghana Education Service to take full control of discipline on their campuses and not to tolerate students who attend school with unapproved hairstyles.
But according to the Cabinet statement, no policy, programme, or major initiative shall be considered official Government policy unless it has been submitted to, deliberated upon, and approved by Cabinet, in line with governance protocols and the principle of collective responsibility enshrined in the Constitution.
Ministers are requested to submit all proposed policies, programmes, or legislative initiatives to the Cabinet Secretariat through the Chief Director of their respective Ministries. These items will then be placed on the Cabinet agenda for consideration.
The directive emphasises that adherence to this process is essential for maintaining policy coherence, ensuring collective Cabinet responsibility, and guaranteeing that Government communications reflect the unified and approved position of the Administration.
Ministers have been advised to refrain from making any public statements or implementing initiatives that have not received Cabinet approval, as such actions will not be recognized as official Government policy.
The Office of the Cabinet Secretary concluded the statement by urging all Ministers to be guided accordingly.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has clarified that the use of Ghanaian languages as the medium of teaching applies only from Kindergarten to Primary Three (Lower Primary), not throughout all basic school levels.
This clarification follows a directive by the sector minister, Haruna Iddrisu, on the compulsory use of Ghanaian languages in schools — a move that has sparked widespread public debate.
