Replace Council of State with 'well-composed second chamber' – Kufuor advocates

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has advocated the scrapping of the Council of State, the presidential advisory council.

According to him, the Constitutional body has outlived its purpose hence the call to scrap it.

“I have had a chance to express my views on the Council of State, very honourable distinguished institution, well-meaning. But, I can say I don’t think it is fit for purpose given the state of development of our country and given the fact that the nation is committed to practising democratic governance.”

Calling for an amendment to the 1992 Constitution, the former President stated that the Council of State should be replaced with a well-composed Second Chamber to perform its functions.

“I have gone through all these periods and I have come to the conclusion that perhaps, what our constitution should have, is to temper the extremes of our democracy.

"It is not Council of State but a Second Chamber well-composed on the basis of democracy,” J. A. Kufuor said at a forum organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in Accra on Tuesday, November 22.

The Council of State in Ghana is a body of prominent citizens, analogous to the Council of Elders in the traditional political system, which advises the President on national issues.



PEN/SARA