Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has criticised President Akufo-Addo for leading a bloated government.

The administration has faced significant backlash with widespread calls to reduce its size. Recently appointed ministers encountered strong opposition from the Minority in Parliament.

In an interview on Citi TV Ansa-Asare condemned the President for allegedly disregarding the Constitution by appointing more ministers than necessary.

He described the President’s actions as a “violation” of the Constitution, which specifies the ministries and the number of ministers.

Comparing the current administration to that of former President Mahama, Ansa-Asare noted that while Mahama’s government also exceeded ministerial limits, it did not provoke the same level of public discontent.

He emphasised that the issue lies with the President’s decisions, not the Constitution, arguing that there is no need for constitutional amendments.

“As far as I’m concerned, our current President [Akufo-Addo] doesn’t respect the Constitution, and that is the problem. It is not the Constitution which is the problem. It is the chief executive of the state who is the problem.

“The Constitution has outlined the ministries and the number of ministers. Previous administrations exceeded their limits. But in the current one, at one time, we had over 100 ministers and deputies. What sort of Constitutional business is that? It’s a gross violation.

“If for instance, the current President will compare himself with the previous President, he will realise that even though the President attempted to exceed, they did it in a way that did not offend the sensibilities of the ordinary Ghanaian.

"But now the culture is, even if you complain we will do it more. You don’t want 80 ministers; I will increase it to 100 or 110.”

Ansa-Asare also expressed disappointment in the President’s change in behaviour, attributing it to the corrupting influence of power.

“I respect President Akufo-Addo for his human rights activism. The Nana Addo I knew as a colleague legal practitioner is different from the Nana Addo I know today as President.

“Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely, it has entered his head.”