Fiscal Council Proposal: Don’t multiply institutions, multiply effectiveness – Prof. Kwaku Asare

Legal expert Prof. Stephen Kwaku Asare has rejected the idea of an Independent Fiscal Council. He believes its functions can be handled by the Auditor-General with little investment. His comments come as Ghana seeks fiscal reforms for economic recovery.

In a Facebook post on June 1, he criticized the proposal as redundant. He called it a costly distraction from meaningful reform. “With modest investment in capacity, the Auditor-General could absorb these functions,” he stated.

Prof. Asare noted that creating new oversight bodies shows a flaw in Ghana’s governance. There is a tendency to create new institutions instead of strengthening existing ones.

He emphasized that new bodies often duplicate roles and increase costs. “We have a penchant for creating new institutions for old problems,” he said. This approach complicates accountability and risks becoming patronage tools disguised as solutions.

The proposed council's duties overlap with those of the Auditor-General and other entities. Instead of improving coordination, it may delay decisions and inflate governance costs.

Kwaku Azar suggested enhancing the capabilities of current institutions like the Auditor-General and Budget Office instead. “We must resist solving every challenge by forming a new committee,” he warned.

He argued that while an Independent Fiscal Council may seem beneficial, it is unnecessary. Strengthening existing oversight bodies should take priority over creating new ones.