Kwaku Ansa-Asare cautions against succession gaps risking power vacuum
Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kweku Ansa-Asare, has raised serious constitutional concerns over what he describes as a potential “power vacuum” in the country due to the simultaneous absence of the President, Vice President, and the Speaker of Parliament from Ghana, without the proper activation of presidential succession protocols.
He made the statement during an interview on Citi Eyewitness News on Tuesday, May 13, in reaction to growing national concerns following the Minority Caucus’s strong condemnation of what they deem a blatant violation of the 1992 Constitution.
“If the president is absent and the vice president we all know is not well, and therefore she is not performing the functions assigned under the constitution and the speaker is also absent, then the acting Chief Justice is supposed to be sworn in to perform the function of the presidency, so if that has not been done then one can say that legitimately that there is a power vacuum,” Ansa-Asare said.
His comment comes on the heels of a press statement issued by the Minority Caucus on Monday, May 12, 2025, in which they criticised the government for neglecting constitutional procedures.
The Minority pointed out that Article 60 of the 1992 Constitution stipulates that when both the President and the Vice President are unable to perform their duties, the Speaker of Parliament should be sworn in to act as President.
In cases where the Speaker is also unavailable, further constitutional arrangements must be triggered to avoid any leadership void.
However, Ansa-Asare emphasised that without adherence to the constitutional succession plan, the country is exposed to a legitimacy crisis in the executive arm of government.
Source: CitiNewsRoom
