We Shouldn't Rush to Scrap Council of State - Prof. Kofi Agyekum on Ex-Prez Kufuor's Call

Head of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum has added his voice to the call by former President John Agyekum Kufour that the Council of State should be scrapped.

The Statesman called for the scrapping of the Council of State from the 1992 Constitution while speaking at a forum organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in Accra on Tuesday, November 22.

He wants it to be replaced with a Second Chamber to perform its functions.

His call comes when the Council of State, a body of prominent citizens who advises the President on national issues, is largely criticized.

The Council is said to be not relevant since the President is not compelled to heed their advise.

Ex-President Kufour called for an amendment of the 1992 Constitution to replace the Council saying, “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”.

But Prof. Kofi Agyekum has shared a contrary view on the suggestion by the former President.

To him, Mr. Kufuor's proposal has great substance though but there should be no rush to scrap the Council of State.

He stated that a thorough research needs to be conducted first before any consideration to dissolve the Council.

"We shouldn't rush to remove it today or tomorrow without having a thorough investigation and research . . It may be that, following the findings, we should reduce the number or scrap it and replace it or we could get people who will voluntarily commit themselves to the service a member of Council of State," he said on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana