“To achieve real change, we must limit presidential appointments” – Constitutional review chair

The Executive Director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Prof. Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has called for constitutional reforms to reduce the president’s power over appointments, arguing that Ghana’s governance system is overly centralised.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM on Monday, March 17, 2025, Prof. Prempeh said the current system, where the president appoints Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), heads of state agencies, and public boards, places too much power in one office and weakens democratic accountability.

“The president appoints everybody. His policy is what guides how development is done at the local level,” he stated.

Prof. Prempeh questioned why nearly all key government positions, from MMDCEs to heads of state enterprises are determined by the president instead of being filled through elections or independent processes.

“Why must you be appointing all the MMDCEs in this town with all the politics involved? How many CVs can you review?” he asked.

He explained that this over-concentration of power in the presidency affects governance and creates a system where local leaders are more accountable to the president than to the people they serve.

Prof. Prempeh argued that Ghana’s constitutional structure places excessive decision-making power in the hands of the president, leading to a governance system that is overly dependent on one person.

To address these challenges, Prof. Prempeh proposed that Ghana’s Constitution should be revised to limit the number of appointments a president can make.

“If we want real change, the Constitution must limit presidential appointments,” he said.