Ghana's democratic governance, as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, is built on a framework of checks and balances designed to ensure accountability, stability, and inclusiveness.
A critical institution within this framework is the Council of State, which serves as an advisory body to the President and other state institutions on critical national issues, as outlined in Articles 89 to 92 of the Constitution.
However, recent controversies surrounding the election of regional representatives to the Council - including allegations of vote-buying, political interference, hooliganism, and a lack of genuine representation - have raised serious questions about the institution's effectiveness and relevance in its current form.
As Ghana commences its constitutional review process, it is crucial to consider a bold yet pragmatic reform: replacing the regional representatives on the Council of State, as postulated in paragraph (c), clause 2 of Article 89 of the 1992 Constitution, with the Presidents of the Regional Houses of Chiefs.
