Law Professor, Prof. Henry Kwasi Prempeh has called for a review of the 1992 constitution as it gives enormous power to the president without limitations.
According to him, it would be important and necessary for the review to be done as it will help limit the actions of politicians when they assume power.
Speaking at a high-level panel discussion on the ongoing constitutional review exercise to examine the theoretical justifications for the review, progress and the regress, Prof. Prempeh said Ghana’s 1992 constitution has become highly permissive, making it easier for politicians to take over, therefore, manipulating policies to their benefit.
The Professor cited an example where the constitution allows government to grow more offices, appoint more ministers without limitation or create more ministries without any law or rule stopping them and without recourse to parliament.
“The presidents in this part of the world regardless of their own personal dispositions have huge power, they pretty much are the monarchs of all that they survey and looks actually quiet monarchical in the way in which they exercise power, there’s very little to stop them”.
“We’ve seen for example huge expansions of government, president has no limits. So the constitution is also very profligate, as a result of this the president’s power has caused the constitution to become so profligate which means that the constitution is a very expensive thing to actually operate......but here we have a constitution that allows the size of government to grow infinitely, absolutely without limit and create more and more offices as long as the president wants more offices to be created,” he stated.
A typical example is the case of President Akufo-Addo appointing a total number of 110 ministers who are serving in his administration, the highest in the country’s history. Out of the total 110, 20 are Regional Ministers and their deputies, 40 ministers for various ministries with 50 deputies.
Prof. Prempeh said until something is done to review and amend the constitution, Ghanaians will continue to witness cases like this and is, therefore, calling for the need to support the constitutional review.
“I think that the answer to these questions leaves me with no option than to support constitutional review."
