Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has called for a strict separation of powers among the arms of government as part of efforts to strengthen governance and democratic accountability in Ghana.

Speaking in an interview on the JoyNews AM Show, Mr Kufuor emphasised that the country’s governance system would function more effectively if the executive, legislature and judiciary operated independently while maintaining their constitutional roles.

Mr Kufuor explained that under a strict separation of powers, the executive arm of government should focus on formulating policies and programmes for national development. However, he noted that such policies must receive approval from the legislature before they are implemented.

According to him, the legislature should also play a stronger oversight role to ensure that the executive remains accountable to the people.

“The executive authority should stand by itself, formulate policies, seek authorisation from the legislature, budget and all. And the legislature should be the watchdog, the people’s house, to keep the executive on its toes,” he stated.

The former president further underscored the importance of an independent judiciary, stressing that the courts must remain the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution and operate without interference.

“And then, of course, the judiciary. They say the oracle of the Constitution should be its independence, and it should be respected totally,” he said.

Beyond the traditional three arms of government, Mr Kufuor also highlighted the growing importance of the media in democratic governance, describing it as the “fourth estate” that amplifies the voice of the people.

He noted that the media plays a crucial role in exposing wrongdoing, educating the public and providing information that enables citizens to hold public officials accountable.

“These days we also recognise the fourth status, which is what we call the media, which in a way increases the voice of the people by exposing, educating and entertaining the general run of governance for the general public,” he said.

Mr Kufuor added that the media ultimately serves the interests of citizens, whom he described as the true owners of the state.

The former president expressed hope that ongoing constitutional review discussions would take these principles into consideration in order to strengthen Ghana’s democratic institutions and governance framework.