John Agyekum Kufour, a former president, wants the Council of State abolished.
According to him, the Council ought to be eliminated since it has become irrelevant over time. He prefers that it be converted into a second chamber.
This was addressed by the former president at a forum held in Accra by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
Maybe it's time for us to relocate to a second home. I would say that the days of the Council of State are ended because we desire quality to serve the goals of good governance and the general public more than cost.
The conference was one of several gatherings the Institute held to gather suggestions for a potential review of Ghana's 1992 Constitution.
The former president suggested that the nation create a second chamber to serve as the government's advisory body in place of the Council of State.
"I've got a chance to share my opinions on the Council of State, a very prestigious and well-meaning institution. However, given our nation's current state of development and its commitment to democratic administration, I can declare that I don't believe it is suitable for its intended use.
The effectiveness of the Council of State has recently been under scrutiny, with some political analysts, academics, and civil society organizations arguing that the institution should be disbanded because it is no longer necessary.
Although the founders of the Constitution believed it was wise to establish such a group to advise the President, former President Kufuor said that the Council was no longer useful.
We only allow the Council of State to advise the President, he added, adding that frequently the President made the decision of whether to heed the advice or not.
"So, after experiencing all of these different times, I have come to the opinion that perhaps a second chamber, carefully chosen not to be comprised primarily on the basis of democracy, is what our Constitution needs to tame the excesses of democracy rather than a Council of State. The idea of democracy should always be there, but not completely. Instead, emphasis should be placed on evidence from experience, public service, caution, maturity, and caring for the country.
The wisdom that would result from their debates, he continued, "would impact not just the President if we do that and enable this second chamber to work openly, in the full glare of publicity."
To ensure that there was continuity in the delivery of development for the people, the former President stated that the term of the second chamber must not be bound to the tenure of any government.
The former President argued that the nation must employ checks and balances in their purest form, particularly among the top State organs, when it comes to limiting the President's capacity to nominate officials.
He demanded that the Constitutional provisions allowing presidents to choose roughly half of all Ministers from Parliament be changed.
"The legislature should be separate, and those who are elected there should be encouraged to professionalize themselves as legislators," he said. "This will allow them to play the guard dogs or watchdogs on the administration."
Additionally, the former president pushed for the inclusion of political parties in local elections.