The Constitution Review Consultative Committee has recommended the elimination of Article 68 (5) of the constitution, which currently exempts the President from paying taxes on his salary and emoluments.
The committee believes this change will reinforce the principle of equality before the law and align with the rule of law.
During stakeholder consultations for a potential constitutional review, Inusah Fuseini, a former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, highlighted some recommendations of the committee established by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, in 2023.
Fuseini explained that the committee views the current exemption as inequitable, as it allows the President to receive public funds without paying taxes.
In addition to this recommendation, the committee has proposed capping the size of Parliament. They suggest amendments to Article 93 to ensure that Parliament consists of no more than 277 elected members.
This would require corresponding changes to Article 47 to allow the Electoral Commission to divide Ghana into constituencies, with the total number not exceeding 277.
The committee also recommends limiting the size of the government and eliminating the position of Deputy Ministers. They propose that the position of Regional Ministers should be abolished similarly.
The committee suggests that the President should appoint only as many Ministers of State as necessary for efficient governance, with the total number not exceeding 25.
These recommendations aim to streamline government operations and promote fairness and efficiency in the administration of state affairs.
