The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is calling for significant restrictions on the President’s power to appoint public officials as part of the ongoing constitutional review.
The Institute says the revised Constitution must substantially reduce the President’s current appointing powers and introduce stronger safeguards to ensure that public offices are filled on merit.
The call follows proposals by the Prempeh Committee for a differentiated system of public appointments, with offices classified according to the level of presidential discretion involved.
The Committee also proposed competitive appointments for independent offices and greater participation by institutions in the nomination process.
Although government has accepted the principle of greater checks on presidential appointments, it has rejected the Committee’s proposed four-tier classification and intends to work with the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee on an alternative framework.
The IEA, at a press conference addressed by former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, said whatever framework is eventually adopted must achieve the central objective of reducing presidential control over public appointments.
“The IEA supports the fundamental objective of the Committee and believes that the reviewed Constitution must contain detailed provisions to substantially reduce the current overwhelming appointing powers of the President,” the Institute stated.
It added that the reforms should ensure that appointments are based on competence rather than political considerations.
“Such revisions must be targeted at assuring merit-based and inclusive appointments to all public offices,” the IEA said.
