The Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) has proposed far-reaching reforms to Ghana’s system of ministerial appointments, recommending that no sitting Member of Parliament (MP) should be appointed as a minister.
Presenting the Committee’s final report to President John Dramani Mahama on Monday, December 22, the Chair of the Committee, Professor Kwasi Prempeh, said the proposal is aimed at firmly separating the legislature from the executive in order to strengthen accountability and enhance parliamentary oversight.
Under the recommendation, MPs would be barred from serving as Ministers of State, Deputy Ministers, or Regional Ministers.
The Committee further proposes that even MPs who resign their seats should remain ineligible for ministerial appointment within the same parliamentary term.
“The Committee recommends an amendment to Article 78(1) to provide that no Member of Parliament may be appointed a Minister of State, Deputy Minister, or Regional Minister,” Prof. Prempeh stated.
Beyond separating powers, the CRC is also seeking to significantly reduce the size of government. It proposes placing a constitutional cap on the total number of ministers to promote efficiency and curb excessive executive appointments.
According to the Committee, the total number of Ministers of State — including Deputy and Regional Ministers — should not exceed 57, based on the current constitutional limit of 19 Cabinet Ministers.
“This means that the total number of Ministers of State, including Deputy Ministers and Regional Ministers, shall not exceed 57,” Prof. Prempeh explained, adding that the Committee also recommends scrapping the position of Deputy Regional Ministers altogether.
However, the CRC allows for limited flexibility. Where a President considers it necessary to exceed the cap, the President must provide a written justification and obtain prior approval from Parliament through a simple majority vote.
The Committee believes these reforms will help reduce executive dominance, improve the effectiveness of governance, and deepen Ghana’s democratic system by reinforcing checks and balances between the arms of government.
