The Constitution Review Committee (CRC) has proposed far-reaching changes to Ghana’s system of government, including a ban on Members of Parliament serving as ministers and a strict cap on the size of the executive, in a move aimed at reinforcing the separation of powers and curbing what it describes as excessive executive expansion.
The proposals were unveiled on Monday, December 22, during the presentation of the Committee’s final report as part of the ongoing constitutional reform process. Presenting the report, the Committee’s Chairman, Henry Kwasi Prempeh, said the recommendations are designed to strengthen accountability, improve efficiency, and restore balance among the arms of government.
At the centre of the proposals is a recommended amendment to Article 78(1) of the 1992 Constitution. Under the proposed change, a sitting Member of Parliament would be prohibited from being appointed as a Minister of State, Deputy Minister, or Regional Minister. According to the Committee, this reform is intended to clearly separate the legislative arm of government from the executive, ending the long-standing practice of MPs simultaneously serving as lawmakers and ministers.
To prevent circumvention of the proposed ban, the Committee further recommended that an MP who resigns from Parliament should also be barred from ministerial appointment for the remainder of the parliamentary term for which the individual was elected. This restriction, the Committee explained, would close any loopholes that might undermine the spirit of the reform.
In addition to separating Parliament from the executive, the CRC has proposed measures to significantly reduce the size of government. It recommended amendments to Article 78(2) to limit the total number of Ministers of State — including Deputy Ministers and Regional Ministers — to no more than three times the number of Cabinet Ministers.
Since the Constitution already caps Cabinet Ministers at 19 under Article 76(1), the effect of the proposal would be to limit the total number of ministers across all categories to a maximum of 57.
The Committee also proposed abolishing the position of Deputy Regional Minister, arguing that removing the role would further streamline executive appointments and reduce administrative costs without weakening governance at the regional level.
However, the proposals do allow for limited flexibility. Where a President believes it is necessary to appoint ministers beyond the prescribed ceiling, the Committee recommended that the President must submit written justification to Parliament and obtain prior approval through a simple majority vote of all Members of Parliament.
According to the CRC, these recommendations form part of a broader reform agenda aimed at strengthening Ghana’s constitutional democracy, improving governance outcomes, and restoring public confidence in the exercise of executive power.
