Reviewing the Extensive Appointment Powers of the President as Solution to Winner-Takes All Politics in Ghana
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Date
2017-12
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Ghana Social Science Journal
Abstract
The 1992 constitution of Ghana gives the Executive President of Ghana
enormous and extensive powers of appointment. This over the years has
led to the manifestations of the Winner-Takes-All (WTA) politics. As a
result, Executive Presidents of Ghana have exercised their powers of
appointment to the benefit of only party apparatchiks and loyalists
without recourse to appointment based on apolitical or non-partisan
meritocracy. In this regard, many Ghanaians, irrespective of their
competence, experience and expertise, are denied the opportunity to
serve their country simply because they do not belong to the ruling party.
We argue that, the 1992 constitution of Ghana gives the Executive
President so much power in appointing state officials, which promotes
WTA politics and deepens clientelism. The paper reviews the extensive
powers of appointment of the President and practically examines how the
exercise of these powers promotes WTA politics and clientelism. It
discusses previous attempts at promoting inclusive government through
appointments and the challenges encountered. The paper finally proffers
policy recommendations on how the powers of appointment could be
exercised in a manner that promotes inclusivity and, to some extent,
meritocracy
Description
Ghana Social Science Journal, 14(2)
Keywords
Executive, President, Appointment, Powers, Ghana, Clientelism, Winner-Takes-All Politics