The Constitution Review Consultative Committee has proposed the removal of Article 68 (5) from the constitution to mandate that the President be subject to taxation on his salary and other compensatory allowances, setting an example for all citizens.
The committee asserts that this action will uphold the principle of equality under the law and align with the rule of law.
During consultations with stakeholders regarding a potential constitution review, former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, emphasized certain recommendations put forth by the committee, which was established by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu in 2023.
“They say that it flouts equity rules, where the President receives money from the public purse and does not pay tax on his emoluments. They recommended an amendment to the Constitution to allow the President to pay tax on his earnings,” he elaborated.
Furthermore, the government established committee has suggested imposing a limit on the size of Parliament. The committee argues that amendments to Article 93 are necessary to ensure that Parliament comprises no more than 277 elected Members.
The committee is of the opinion that this adjustment would require corresponding amendments to Article 47 to mandate that Ghana be divided into a number of constituencies for the election of MPs as determined by the Electoral Commission (EC), with the total number not exceeding 277.
Additionally, the committee recommended imposing a cap on the size of the government and eliminating the ability to appoint Deputy Ministers. It argues that Regional Minister positions should be eliminated in a similar manner to Deputy Ministerial roles.
The committee specified that the President may appoint as many Ministers of State as needed for the efficient governance of the state, but the total number of Ministers should not exceed 25.
