The former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and a former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Inusah Fuseini has lauded Ghana’s Council of State’s role in promoting good governance.
He acknowledged the challenges surrounding the Council’s effectiveness but insisted that it remains a potentially useful institution within Ghana’s governance structure. Despite these concerns, Hon. Fuseini believes that the Council has the potential to be influential, citing his personal experiences with the body during his tenure in government.
“As a Deputy Minister for Energy, I appeared before the then-constituted Council of State. When they invited me as Deputy Minister in charge of power together with my minister, Dr. Oteng Adjei, to brief the Council of State on what could be done to bring the power crisis that we were experiencing between 2010 and 2012 to an end.”
Hon. Inusah Fuseini Former MP for Tamale Central
He emphasized that the government was working towards installing 5,000 megawatts of power to address the crisis and that the Council of State, after deliberations, prepared a brief and met with the President.
“Probably, that is what manifested in 2016 when the government was able to bring the power crisis to an end.”
Hon. Inusah Fuseini Former MP for Tamale Central
However, he acknowledged the difficulty in tracing the Council’s advice to tangible national outcomes because its deliberations are not public.
“The nature and design of the institution does not make it possible for you to know the advice. And so, we are left groping in the dark on the nature of the advice given or whether at all the Council of State advises the President. And if they do, whether the President even takes the advice.”
Hon. Inusah Fuseini Former MP for Tamale Central
Hon. Fuseini also highlighted another instance where the Council of State played a role in national security. As Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, he was invited by the Council to address a border dispute near the Bui area.
“The Ivorians or the Togolese around the Bui area—our boundary was not properly demarcated. The Ivorians were encroaching into the territory of Ghana. That part of Ghana is beyond Bui, so it’s virtually inaccessible. The citizens of other countries were now encroaching and moving the pillars that the colonialists had planted, demarcating our boundary.”
Hon. Inusah Fuseini Former MP for Tamale Central
The Council of State sought recommendations, and Hon. Fuseini proposed the establishment of a National Boundary Commission.
“My recommendation was to set up a National Boundary Commission and make sure that we plant trees or do things, maintain a permanent presence of the Ghanaian military over there and also take measures to protect and safeguard the boundary of Ghana.”
Hon. Inusah Fuseini Former MP for Tamale Central
Today, Ghana has an operational Boundary Commission, which has been instrumental in resolving territorial issues, particularly in the maritime boundary dispute with Côte d’Ivoire.
“I didn’t meet the President. I met the Council of State. That’s why I think that they are potentially useful.”
Hon. Inusah Fuseini Former MP for Tamale Central
Composition and Design of the Council of State
Hon. Fuseini further elaborated on the structure of the Council of State and the intention behind its composition. He outlines the three categories of members.
Institutional Representatives – These include the Chief Justice, the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Defense Staff, and the President of the National House of Chiefs.
Regional Representatives – Originally ten, but now sixteen, these members are elected from each administrative region.
Presidential Appointees – The President appoints eleven members to ensure a balance of expertise and experience within the Council.
“The importation of a democratic way of choosing representatives… Democracy can throw up all manner of people. To balance that, the Constitution then gave the President the power to appoint eleven, not ten, eleven. And there lies the potential akin to what we expected to happen in the District Assemblies.”
Hon. Inusah Fuseini Former MP for Tamale Central
Hon. Fuseini believes that the Council was designed to be a body of experienced and knowledgeable individuals who could provide sound advice on national issues.
Hon. Inusah Fuseini acknowledged the skepticism surrounding the Council of State’s effectiveness, given that its advice is non-binding and often not visible to the public. However, his personal experiences suggest that the Council does play a role in shaping national policy, even if its impact is difficult to trace.
He argued that the Council’s structure is well-balanced, allowing for both democratic representation and presidential discretion in appointing members with specialized knowledge. While challenges exist, he believes the Council of State remains a potentially valuable institution in Ghana’s governance framework.
This perspective underscores the need for a more transparent and accountable approach to the Council’s operations, ensuring that its advisory role translates into meaningful contributions to national development.
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