Constitution review: Majority of ministers may no longer be MPs

The constitutional provision which requires the president to appoint majority of ministers from Parliament is to be scrapped.

Joy News has learnt that a government white paper on the report of the Constitution Review Commission, endorses the recommendation intended to free the president to appoint ministers from outside Parliament.

Article 78 clause 1 states in part that majority of ministers of state shall be appointed from among Members of Parliament.

Joy News' Sammy Darko who pored over some of the recommendations of the Constitution Review Commission endorsed by government reported that the government white paper has also accepted a recommendation that a president or vice president, who defects to another political party whilst in office, loses the position automatically.

Government also agrees with recommendations that a period of 60 days should be allowed between voting date and the date for the inauguration of the president and parliament. This is to ensure a smooth implementation of the presidential transition law.

The law prescribes that elections must be held in November instead of December. Government has also adopted the setting up of an independent emolument commission to determine the end of service benefit for all appointees and other public office holders. Our sources say, government is in favour of the retention of the 4-year presidential term and also recommendations for an upper ceiling on the number of Supreme Court judges.

Joy News sources say, the number of justices of the Supreme Court could be pegged at 15.

The government white paper also endorses recommendations that the constitution should be definite on the two four-year term of office for the president.

Even though that is the practice, the constitution is silent on it. Joy News has also learnt the entrenched portions of the recommendations are not likely to be put to a referendum till after the general elections.

The rest will however be placed before parliament for debate and approval.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Constitution Review Commission Dr. Raymond Atuguba says there will be a public discussion of the recommendations in about two weeks from now.