Lawyer Ayuure urges constitutional amendment to limit presidential powers
Ayuure argued that the current constitutional arrangement grants the President authority over other arms of government, citing as an example the President’s power to appoint and dismiss a Chief Justice.
Lawyer Amos Ayuure, a private legal practitioner, has called for an amendment to the constitution to limit the extensive powers vested in the executive arm of government, particularly the President.
Ayuure argued that the current constitutional arrangement grants the President authority over other arms of government, citing as an example the President’s power to appoint and dismiss a Chief Justice.
Speaking in an interview on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Wednesday, September 3, in the wake of the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, Ayuure stressed the need to amend the constitution to safeguard the independence of certain institutions from executive control.
“As an emerging and growing democracy, I do believe that we can fine-tune our laws to allow for better processes, in terms of proper participation, for independent bodies to take charge of this process of removal of people from that area.”
He warned that unchecked provisions in the Constitution could be exploited by a President to remove a Chief Justice they find uncomfortable working with.
“Otherwise, if a President or if a leader of the nation comes and he doesn’t feel that the particular person holding the position of Chief Justice will do his bidding or whatever, he can simply trigger a process, and once the committee recommends, the person will be removed.” Ayuure cautioned.
He further suggested the establishment of a system insulated from political influence to oversee the appointment and dismissal of a Chief Justice.
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