- Former President Kufuor warned against presidential monopoly over regulatory appointments.
- He said the current system grants undue political advantage to the presidency.
- Cited institutions affected include the NMC and NCA.
- Proposed replacing the Council of State with a “second chamber.”
- This chamber would vet and approve appointments to preserve independence.
- Kufuor argued the reform would strengthen democracy and prevent political capture.
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has reignited the debate over presidential powers, cautioning that Ghana’s democracy risks imbalance if the head of state continues to control appointments to key independent institutions.
At the “Broadcasting at the Crossroads” forum in Accra on Friday, September 26, 2025, Kufuor argued that the President’s current authority to select leaders of regulatory agencies such as the National Media Commission (NMC) and the National Communications Authority (NCA) tilts the playing field in favor of the executive.
He contended that this system erodes the independence of oversight bodies that are supposed to act without political pressure, warning that their credibility is weakened when the presidency holds such overwhelming influence.
To counterbalance this, Kufuor floated a radical idea: the creation of a second chamber of governance to replace the Council of State. Unlike the existing advisory body, this chamber would be made up of representatives from credible institutions, with the mandate to handle appointments and vetting for regulatory offices.
According to the former president, such a chamber would strip politics out of appointments and allow bodies like the NMC and NCA to function with true autonomy. He stressed that genuine democracy can only thrive if regulatory institutions are insulated from partisan interference.
