Kofi Bentil Proposes Bold Overhaul of Ghana’s Governance: Abolish Constituencies, Downsize Parliament, End Political Capture

Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa and private legal practitioner, Kofi Bentil, has outlined a sweeping blueprint for overhauling Ghana’s political and administrative systems, warning that the current model is unworkable and must be uprooted entirely.

In a detailed memo addressed to constitutional law expert Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, Mr. Bentil argues that Ghana’s democratic institutions have become bloated, inefficient, and increasingly captured by partisan politics. He calls for a “root-and-stem” transformation, starting with the electoral system, in order to reset the foundations of governance.

“There’s nothing in Ghana to manage,” Bentil wrote. “Everything must be transformed.”

Elect DCEs, Abolish Constituencies
At the centre of Bentil’s proposals is a plan to abolish Ghana’s current parliamentary constituencies and instead elect District Chief Executives (DCEs) who would form regional assemblies. Each Regional Assembly would then elect two individuals and appoint two more (not necessarily DCEs) to represent the region in Parliament. That would result in 64 Members of Parliament — four from each of the 16 regions.

He further proposes the addition of 36 non-partisan representatives drawn from professional bodies such as the Ghana Medical Association, Ghana Institute of Engineers, Teachers’ groups, Bankers, and other major associations — a model he says is inspired by Singapore’s blend of technocracy and meritocracy.

“Imagine a Parliament like that. No political party can mess with it as we’ve seen over the last 30 years,” he stated.

Bentil also argues that not all MPs need to go through electoral politics. Some, he says, should be appointed based on competence and sectoral knowledge, especially those who may avoid partisan contestation but can make valuable contributions.

Eligibility and Qualifications
In a break from Ghana’s current universalist electoral tradition, Bentil insists that while anyone may run for DCE, individuals seeking to enter Parliament — whether elected or appointed — must have university education and demonstrate proficiency in English.

“We lose out by excluding brilliant people who will never subject themselves to politics,” he argues.

He also challenges the notion of Universal Adult Suffrage (UAS) at the national level, describing it as unsuitable for effective governance. “Many developed countries, including the US and UK, use filtered selection systems like the Electoral College or proportional representation,” he notes.

End Political Appointments to Boards and Judiciary
Bentil calls for a strict separation of powers. Under his plan, no member of the executive would serve in Parliament or on the boards of public institutions. Judges and justices would no longer be appointed by the President. Instead, the Judicial Council would shortlist candidates, and lawyers and sitting judges would vote on the final selections.

“The best people to know a judge’s quality are those they work with,” he argued, referencing internal vetting by the Bar and Bench.

He further proposes term limits of five years — renewable once — for Supreme Court justices and heads of constitutionally protected bodies such as the Auditor-General, EC Chair, and Special Prosecutor. A rare third term would be allowed only with a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament.

Structural Downsizing and Institutional Repurposing
Bentil’s radical proposal includes the scrapping of the Council of State and all Regional Ministers. He recommends capping ministerial appointments at 50.

He also wants the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) converted into a non-partisan parliamentary think tank — similar to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) — to support evidence-based policymaking.

National Security Reform and Public Sector Pay Restructuring
Perhaps most controversial is his call to collapse all uniformed services — Police, Army, Fire Service, Customs, Immigration — into a single National Defence Force. This unit would retain specialised divisions but operate under unified command to maximise efficiency, especially in peacetime.

He also wants to abolish Article 71 of the Constitution, which governs emoluments for top officials. Instead, Bentil proposes linking public sector pay — including that of the President — to the national minimum wage. For instance, the President’s salary could be set at 8,000 times the minimum wage, with others scaled accordingly.

“This way, we rise and fall together,” he said, pointing to what he called “a special class of people who’ve insulated themselves from the people’s suffering.”

Radical or Visionary?
While the proposals are likely to draw both admiration and criticism, they speak to a broader mood of public dissatisfaction with Ghana’s political system. The country’s constitutional review process, which began over a decade ago, has stalled, and key governance institutions are under pressure.

So far, neither Prof. Prempeh nor any government spokesperson has publicly responded to the proposals.

Bentil concedes that many of his ideas may not pass political muster but insists they represent a more functional system than the status quo.

“I know it’s a bit crazy, but I’ll stay here until someone convinces me there’s a better system,” he concluded.