Outgoing Swiss Ambassador weighs in on constitutional review, presidential powers

Outgoing Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Benin and Togo, Simone Giger, has urged Ghana to use its constitutional review to reduce the concentration of power in the presidency.

He indicated that the country's democratic progress now requires stronger institutions and greater decentralisation.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, July 9 2026, Giger said Ghana had earned global admiration for its stable democracy and peaceful transfers of power, but argued that the country's governance structure must now evolve to reflect its democratic maturity.

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Reflecting on Ghana's most recent general election, the ambassador commended the country's democratic credentials.

"We saw it also with the last elections. Again, a peaceful transfer of power. I went to observe the elections. It really touched my heart," she said.

Giger, however explained that Switzerland has been supporting Ghana's constitutional review efforts through its engagement with Parliament, including young legislators and the Women's Caucus.

"We work with Parliament, especially with young parliamentarians and with the Women’s Caucus. We support the constitutional reform process," she said.

Despite describing the 1992 Constitution as instrumental in guiding Ghana from military rule to constitutional democracy, the outgoing envoy believes it has outlived some aspects of its original purpose.

"It was a brilliant constitution for the time but it was also a transitional constitution. You have so many powers vested in the president. It’s very centralised. Everything is in Accra," she stated.

According to Giger, Ghana's next democratic milestone should be creating a governance system where authority is shared more broadly among institutions instead of being heavily concentrated at the centre.

"I really think the next step should be to decentralise power and have proper checks and balances. All the institutions should have a say," she stated.

Drawing lessons from Switzerland's political system, she argued that distributing power across multiple institutions promotes accountability and prevents excessive control by any one office.

"I think what the Swiss got right, better than anyone else probably, is that no one really holds power in Switzerland because everybody has a little bit of power. So, we all keep each other in check," she explained.

However, Giger stressed that Ghana should pursue reforms that reflect its own political realities rather than copying another country's model.

"You cannot copy from any other country. But I think that was a major insight many, many years ago. So, deconcentration is key," she said.

She expressed optimism that meaningful reforms would have a transformative impact on Ghana's democratic future.

"I’m 100 percent sure that if you get this right now, then Ghana will be a different country," she added.

NA/VPO