Ansa-Asare criticizes Akufo-Addo for unconstitutional ministerial appointments

Former principal of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has criticized President Akufo-Addo for running a bloated government.

The administration has faced significant opposition amid widespread calls to downsize. Recently appointed ministers faced strong opposition from minorities in parliament.

In an interview with Citi TV, Ansa-Asare condemned the President for allegedly violating the Constitution by appointing more ministers than necessary.

He described the President’s actions as a “violation” of the Constitution, which specifies ministries and the number of ministers.

Comparing the current administration with that of former President Mahama, Ansa-Asare noted that while Mahama’s government had also overstepped ministerial boundaries, it had not generated the same level of public discontent.

He emphasized that it was about the President’s decisions, not the Constitution, arguing that there was no need to amend the Constitution.

“As far as I am concerned, our current president (Akufo-Addo) has no respect for the constitution and that is the problem. It is not the Constitution that is the problem. The problem is the state’s chief executive.

“The constitution defined the ministries and the number of ministers. Previous administrations have overstepped their bounds. But in the current one we used to have over 100 ministers and MPs. What kind of constitutional issue is this? This is a gross violation.

“If, for example, the current president compares himself with the previous president, he will realize that while the president has tried to overstep, he has done so in a way that has not offended the sensibilities of the ordinary Ghanaian.

“But now there is such a culture that even if you complain, we will do it more often. You don’t want 80 ministers; I will increase this number to 100 or 110.”

Ansa-Asare also expressed disappointment with the president’s change in behavior, attributing it to the corrupt influence of those in power.

“I respect President Akufo-Addo for his human rights activism. The Nana Addo I knew as an associate lawyer is different from the Nana Addo I know today as president.

“Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely, it occurred to him.”

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