Dr Seidu Alidu, a prominent lecturer at the University of Ghana's Department of Political Science, has advocated for a reassessment of the President's powers in selecting people to crucial posts.
He suggested roles like Chief Justice, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Chief of the Defence Staff, Auditor-General, Electoral Commission Chairperson, and other key state democratic institutions that might aid and control the democratic process.
Counter-check
Dr Alidu told the Daily Graphic that some of those roles were necessary to "counter-check or counter-balance" the Executive's power, but that power was frequently weakened by the appointing body — the Executive.
"With such authority, these organs that were intended to be equal or checking the Executive's power become submissive to the Executive, and that is what we need to examine." The appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, and the Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, among other roles, are critical to the state's security, he added.
Dr. Alidu explained that under this environment, both the military and the police could not make definitive choices in most situations due to political influence because the leadership of both institutions was nominated by the Executive.
That, he warned, tended to erode such institutions' independence and their leaders' ability to behave in exemplary ways.
On the way forward, Dr Alidu suggested that the country establish a means for the police to pick an IGP from among themselves, and that the military do the same, so that appointments from the presidency or executive branch of government are kept to a minimum.
In that event, he remarked, they (security chiefs) would act in accordance with the Constitution rather than for the person who nominated them.
Parliament is imprisoned.
In response to the hung Parliament, Dr Alidu stated that it had put the 1992 Constitution to the test, calling for a re-examination.
He noted a constitutional clause requiring that the majority of ministers be drawn from the Legislature, claiming that it had severely harmed the legislative branch's quality.
He said that the Executive arm of government will abduct intelligent legislators for ministerial and deputy ministerial positions.