[ 2017-02-28 ]

President Akufo-Addo swearing-in members of the Council of State

Be frank, get busy - Akufo-Addo tells Council of State
“I look forward to working with a Council that
will help all of us deepen our democracy and I
look forward to working with a Council that will
deliver a prosperous Ghana.”

President Akufo-Addo made the above statement
yesterday when he swore in a 24-member Council of
State under the Fourth Republic at the State
Banquet Hall in Accra.

The president asked members to be frank and bold
in offering constructive criticisms and practical
counsel to him.

He said the council is not an extension of the
Executive and therefore should be independent and
draw the respect that would make institutions rely
on it for sound advice.

He admonished the council not to be a rubberstamp,
only interested in telling him what he wants to
hear, and asked the members to offer advice based
on “unvarnished” but “straightforward”
truth.

“The Council of State is not an extension of the
Executive and will not be representing the
president or his ministers of State…I look
forward very much to working with the council that
will offer me straightforward advice based on
unvarnished truth.”

“I look forward to a council that will have all
of us deepen our democracy; and I look forward to
working with a council that will help us deliver a
prosperous Ghana,” he underscored.

The 24-member Council are Nana Otuo Serebour II
Juabenhene; Sam Okudzeto, former Ghana Bar
Association President; Nana Kofi Obiri Egyir II,
owner of Sanaa Lodge; Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson,
former Mayor of Accra; Alberta Cudjoe; Alhaji
Aminu Amadu; Margaret Amoakohene of the School of
Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon;
Alhaji Sahanun Moqtar; Georgina Kusi; Alhaji Sule
Yiremiah; Paa Kofi Ansong; General J.B. Danquah,
former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed
Forces and Nana Owusu Nsiah, former Inspector
General of Police with Togbe Afede XIV, President
of the National House of Chiefs, as an ex-officio
member.

The rest are Eunice Jacqueline Buah, Western
Region; Kwadwo Agyenim Boateng, Brong Ahafo
Region; Yakubu S. Nantogmah, Northern Region;
Agona Akrofosohene, Nana Owusu Achiaw, Ashanti
Region; Richard Babini Kanton IV, Upper West
Region; Dr. Nii Kotei Dzani, Greater Accra Region;
Robert D. Mosore, Upper East Region; Obrempong
Appiah Nuamah II, Central Region; Francis Albert
Seth Nyonyo, Volta Region and Nana Somuah Mireku-
Nyampong, Eastern Region.

After taking the oaths of allegiance, secrecy and
the official oath, President Akufo-Addo, who has
already indicated his determination to put the
country back on a sound footing, could not but
give them a charge, “I expect you to be
proactive partners in our efforts to find
solutions that would improve the lives of our
people.”

Charge

Coming at a time when the nation’s economy is in
poor shape, challenges of governance relative to
corruption in public life, President Akufo-Addo
insisted, “We need to enhance the efficiency of
the state administrative machinery.”

Even though Article 92 (1) of the country’s
Constitution requires the council to meet at least
four times in a year, the president indicated,
“At the moment, I fear that there is a lot of
work piled up for the council and it might well
turn up to me more than four times in a week that
the council will meet to be able to deal with the
work on its table.”

“Between the council and the presidency, we have
a lot of work to do to get all the appointments in
place to get the government machine to work.” He
added, “We shall not insist on standing ceremony
but get to work rapidly and efficiently.”

Advise

Considering the work load at hand, he told the
council members, “You can, if you so choose,
quickly get into the Honourable and Excellency
mode and you will find many people to play you up
to that role; you can, if you so choose, make your
council a rubber stamp; you can, if you so choose,
make this council one that is widely respected and
seen as the place to go for advice by all
institutions, and I’m hoping that this council
will choose the latter part.”

That aside, President Akufo-Addo expressed concern
about the deplorable state of the building that
houses the council which is said to have been
abandoned while the guest house for the use of
members who come from out of the capital is also
reported to have fallen into disrepair, not to
talk of vehicles used by members which are also
said to be in a poor state.

Also, the secretariat of the council is reported
not have an existing chief director and the full
complement of staff to help perform its
functions.

For the president, “This is an unfortunate state
of affairs” while promising, “I shall do my
best to ensure that these matters are rectified
promptly and the council is properly equipped to
do its work.”

Observation

After almost 25 years of the Fourth Republic,
President Akufo-Addo recounted, “I think it is
fair to say that the most effective Council of
State we have had, has been the one that worked
with former President John Agyekum Kufuor.”

“We saw an intellectually vibrant and active
council that took its responsibilities seriously;
we saw a council that kept its members
well-informed and kept government officials on
their toes,” he insisted.

Pledge

On his part, the Omanhene of the Juaben
Traditional Area, Daasebre Otuo Serebuor II, who
spoke on behalf of his colleague members of the
council, thanked the president for the opportunity
given them to serve the government and the people
of Ghana.

The Juabenhene was unanimously elected as the
Chairman of the Council.

“We are also fully conscious of your commitment
to rebuild the economy, create jobs for the
unemployed, cleanse the system of overpowering
corruption and impunity, as well as preserve and
enhance the values of freedom, the rule of law and
good governance; in this endeavour, Mr President,
we pledge our unflinching support,” he
emphasized.

He also assured, “Mr President, we shall not be
a rubber stamp; we shall tell it as it is,”
expressing hope that the president would also take
their counsel as it is.

Source - dailyguideafrica.com

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