President John Mahama formally swore in the members of Ghana’s Council of State at a ceremony held at Jubilee House in Accra on the evening of February 18. However, two regional representatives are notably absent from the list of appointees.
The positions for the North East and Ashanti regions remain unfilled due to a re-run of the elections in those areas on February 17. Saaka Abuba, the North East Region candidate, and Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, representing Ashanti, will join the Council once the election results are finalized.
The Council of State plays a key advisory role to the President, as outlined in Article 89(1) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which mandates the body to offer counsel to the President in carrying out his official duties.
The Council is comprised of a mix of appointed and elected members. These include:
- A former Chief Justice
- A former Chief of Defence Staff
- A former Inspector General of Police
- The President of the National House of Chiefs
- One elected representative from each of Ghana’s regions, chosen by an electoral college
- Eleven additional members appointed by the President.
While the regional elections play a critical role in completing the Council’s composition, the other members have been sworn in to carry out their duties in the meantime.
Source:TheDotNews