Ministers abandon parliamentary duties after appointment – Ayikoi Otoo laments

Former Attorney General Nii Ayikoi Otoo supports calls for a constitutional review. He wants to reconsider the rule allowing Members of Parliament (MPs) to be appointed as Ministers of State.

His comments follow former Speaker Prof Mike Aaron Oquaye's advocacy. Oquaye seeks a clearer separation between executive and legislative functions. He believes this change would improve parliamentary oversight.

In an interview with Citi FM on May 1, Ayikoi Otoo shared his concerns. He feels the current system weakens Parliament's effectiveness.

He noted that MPs who become ministers often neglect their legislative duties. “Most of these people [MPs] concentrate on their ministerial work,” he said. He added that it is often the Minority who do most parliamentary work.

Ayikoi Otoo called for a constitutional amendment. He suggested that the President should appoint all or most ministers from outside Parliament.

He criticized the current situation where many ministers focus on contracts instead of their parliamentary roles. “The Majority are ministers, and some are chasing contracts,” he stated.

He concluded that it's time to review this decision. The President should have the power to appoint ministers outside Parliament, or at least reduce the number from within it.