Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has called for a stronger separation of powers among the three arms of government as part of Ghana’s ongoing constitutional review process.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with JoyNews, the former President said the current constitutional arrangement, which allows the President to appoint the majority of ministers from Parliament, creates the impression that the executive arm may be overreaching its authority.
He explained that the provision was intentionally included in the Constitution to reflect Ghana’s hybrid system of governance, where elements of both presidential and parliamentary systems exist.
“When you put the question that way, you give the impression that the executive is reaching out to perhaps usurp the powers of the other organs. But I believe it was put there deliberately by the Constitution, which proposes a hybrid system,” he said.
Under the current arrangement, the President is required to appoint more than half of ministers from Parliament, a structure designed to ensure cooperation between the executive and legislative branches.
However, Kufuor noted that the system may weaken the legislature’s ability to effectively hold the executive accountable.
“The legislature is supposed to be the watchdog over the performance of the executive. But when the Constitution says the President should appoint the majority of ministers from the legislature, the executive is in a way empowered to appear as though it is overreaching,” he stated.
The former President expressed hope that the ongoing constitutional review would revisit the provision to ensure a more effective checks and balances system.
“Now that we are talking about constitutional review, I hope we will revisit that issue and really try to get the checks and balances right so we achieve accountability in the management of government authority,” he added.
Kufuor advocated what he described as a strict separation of powers, where the executive would operate independently to formulate policies, while the legislature would focus on its oversight role.
“The executive authority should stand by itself, formulate policies and seek authorization from the legislature. The legislature should be the watchdog in the people’s house to keep the executive on its toes,” he explained.
He also emphasised the need for a strong and independent judiciary, describing it as the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution. “The judiciary, which is the oracle of the Constitution, should remain independent and be respected totally,” he said.
Beyond the three traditional arms of government, the former President acknowledged the growing role of the media in governance, describing it as a “fourth estate” that amplifies the voice of citizens.
“These days we also recognise the fourth estate, the media, which increases the voice of the people by exposing, educating and informing the public about governance,” he noted.
Kufuor argued that strengthening these institutions through constitutional reforms would help deepen accountability and improve democratic governance in Ghana.
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