Dr Kwame Asah Asante, a Political scientist and University of Ghana lecturer, says the ongoing debate over whether ministers who also serve as Members of Parliament are responsible for poor government performance is misplaced, arguing that the issue goes beyond the structure of Ghana’s hybrid governance system.

Speaking on the AM Show, Dr Asah Asante pushed back against claims that dual office-holding undermines effectiveness, insisting that strong leadership and institutional discipline matter more than the system itself.

“You can’t change a winning team,” he said.

“If you have a team and they are doing well, you don’t change them just for changing’s sake. These things are done very carefully to achieve results.”

He disagreed with arguments that Ghana’s governance model — where some ministers come from Parliament — inherently weakens performance. Citing the United Kingdom as an example, he noted that several parliamentary democracies have cabinet ministers who double as MPs without compromising efficiency.

“Is he saying that in Britain, where ministers of state are members of parliament, we don’t see performance? The answer is obviously no,” he argued. “The fact that some ministers here may not be performing does not mean the system itself produces incompetence.”

Dr Asah Asante explained that Ghana’s 1992 Constitution deliberately adopted a hybrid structure, drawing elements from both the Westminster and 1979 presidential systems to balance stability and accountability.

He stressed that institutional design alone cannot guarantee performance without firm leadership at the top.

“You can have the best system,” he said, “but if you don’t have a leader who sees beyond his ethnic group or his nation to bring policies that stand the test of time — a leader who will not sacrifice loyalty for competence — you will have difficulties.”

His comments come in response to a call by Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh, who urged President John Mahama to conduct an immediate ministerial reshuffle. The Suhum MP expressed frustration in Parliament on Tuesday after the persistent absence of ministers required to answer urgent questions on the floor.

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh argued that the situation reflects declining ministerial accountability, but Dr. Asah Asante believes the broader conversation must focus on leadership quality rather than simply restructuring the system.