The founder of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has said the powers vested in the president by the 1992 constitution have weakened the mandate of the other arms of government.

“Parliament as a body is weaker compared to the executive. Parliament is poorer as compared to the executive because of the extensive and huge powers given to the presidency by the 1992 constitution and because of that the executive gets away with many things, especially many things that we have come to know, after the fact that, indeed, the decisions made by parliament were wrong and it carries from one administration to the other,” Dr Nduom stated.

“I cited the case of the CNTCI loan facility approved under President Kufour’s administration. Under President Mills’ administration, there was STX Korea. It happens and it’s been happening and it is still going on. So, my point is that the powers of the executive, particularly the powers embedded in the presidency, are just too enormous and it overshadows and weakens parliament.”

Dr Nduom said this at a forum at the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana on Friday April 22.