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To Have Or Not To Have A Council Of State

Feature Article President Nana Akufo-Addo
FEB 6, 2017 LISTEN
President Nana Akufo-Addo

On the 30th of January, 2017, which was a Monday, Joy FM ' Thought Leadership Debate' came off ; and I listened with much interest.

The motion for the debate was basically about whether we should continue to have the Council of State as a constitutional body or we should do away with it.

The 1992 constitution provides for a twenty- five member body that would advice the president on certain decisions that the president would take on our behalf.

My high interest in this debate was much related to an almost unpopular decision that was taken by the recent former president on a matter relating to what was known as the ' Montie 3 '.

The former president pardoned the trio of a prison sentence on a ' supposed advice' of the Council Of State. Many thought that that decision of the president although constitutional, was incorrect. Many thought the action of the president endorsed the impunity that was growing in our society.

Then the debate came on. And I was surprised. I was surprised because my belief that perhaps, this Council of State' is just one body that is of no value to us seemed enforced. I had thought I would have been convinced otherwise at end of the debate.

The speaker against the motion : that is to do away with the body, struggled to put forth any value the Council of State had been to us; except to say that it works behind the scene to keep the stability of our young democracy going.

I wasn't convinced. This is a body that draws almost 320 000 gh cedis a month from state coffers.

There must be more than they are offering to us; for us to continue to spend so much keeping them in office.

This is a country which is currently heavily indebted. We are a poor nation. Our debt to GDP is said to be about 70% as at present.

The Council of State should be giving us something more for our money's worth.

Prior to the election 2016, we saw a phenomenon of Chiefs trying to out -do each other in the endorsement of flag bearers. Many could not understand why our titled chiefs would decide to throw all caution to the wind to dabble in this game.

The answer to this puzzle came to me during the debate. The president is constitutionally empowered to nominate at least eleven of this 25 member council.

Could it be that our titled chiefs were not losing their minds after all ,when they went into the craze of endorsing flag bearers?

Is it that they were just making a high bet to win something from the would- be presidents after the elections?

Were they putting themselves forth in the open to be seen as friendly royals of the future presidents so they would be considered for the Council of State ?

Let us not forget that it was about 12 000 gh cedis a month that was at stake for these chiefs.

I salute our chiefs. They are no fools after all. Who would think twice jumping into the mud; suffer momentary scorn , only to run to the bank monthly for four years for such bounty ?

Ghana is hard.
#TALKINGBLUES
PAUL ZOWONU
TUTOR-ACCRA

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