President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated “the buck stops with the President” assertion in his State of the Nation address to reemphasize the fact that he bears full responsibility for the shortfalls in his administration.
Emphasising that “under the Constitution, the executive power of the state is vested in the
President of the Republic. He or she is the Executive”, he noted “there is no ambiguity about where the buck stops, when it comes to responsibility for what happens in the government. It stops with the President, he or she has ultimate responsibility.”
The President’s comments come on the back of the brouhaha stemming from the Vice President’s recent comments of him being a driver’s mate and can therefore not be blamed for the mishaps of this administration.
During his address to announce his vision to Ghanaians as flag bearer of the NPP ahead of the 2024 elections, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia urged Ghanaians to vote for him to take the driver’s seat in order to be fully in charge of affairs.
Advancing his defence, President Akufo-Addo noted that even though there are other persons on the cabinet that may offer advice, it is the prerogative of the President in whom the Executive power resides to take it or otherwise.
“It would be an unwise President that would pretend to have all the answers, and refuse the advice of his officials, but the fact remains that the President holds the executive power,” he noted during the delivery of the 2024 State of the Nation address.
“The Cabinet, the Ministers of State all act in an advisory manner. Of course, a member of the government might take an idea, be it generated by the President or the official or a committee, and turn it into a huge success, and the honours would be claimed or shared where public perception falls.
“But, ultimately, the President is responsible, and, therefore, takes the credit or the blame for whatever happens in his or her government. Let me make a second point. The programmes that come from the Executive benefit from the rigorous public examination and debates to
which they are subjected,” the President added.
The comments had earlier been made by the former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye.
‘The buck stops with the President’ – Mike Oquaye absolves Bawumia of Akufo-Addo’s failures
