Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has criticised Ghana’s ministerial vetting process, saying the country’s multi-party parliamentary system makes it difficult for lawmakers to independently scrutinise presidential nominees.
In an interview, Mr Kufuor explained that the structure of parliamentary committees means a president who controls the majority in the Parliament of Ghana will almost always have their nominees approved.
He said this happens because vetting committees reflect the party balance in Parliament.
As a result, Majority members often support the president’s nominees, leaving limited room for strong scrutiny from the opposition.
“The president will have the majority of the vetting committees in the legislature, and so once the president nominates, invariably the nominee sails through because the majority tends to be there to support the president,” he said.
Mr Kufuor noted that this dynamic often weakens the oversight role of Parliament, as party loyalty can take precedence over objective assessment of nominees.
Drawing from his own experience in public office, he said the system’s limitations are not new.
The former president previously served as a Member of Parliament in both 1969 and 1979 before leading the country from 2001 to 2009 under the New Patriotic Party.
“The minority may have its say, but the majority would have its way,” he said, referencing a common parliamentary phrase that highlights how majority rule can determine outcomes regardless of opposing views.
As a possible solution, the former President proposed that the vetting of key public appointees be moved to a non-partisan second chamber made up of experienced professionals and respected national figures.
He said such a body could assess nominees based strictly on merit and conduct its proceedings openly for the public to follow.
Debate over ministerial vetting has persisted in Ghanaian politics for years.
Critics across different administrations have often accused the Parliament of Ghana Appointments Committee of simply approving presidential nominees rather than thoroughly scrutinising them.
