Ghana’s Cabinet and Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa are pursuing plans to join the BRICS economic bloc, drawing immediate political pushback on October 17, 2026. All People’s Congress leader Hassan Ayariga questioned the executive authority behind the move, demanding parliamentary scrutiny and public consultation before any binding commitments.
Cabinet Approval and Executive Ambitions
The push toward the intergovernmental bloc gained momentum when the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, was reported to be pursuing Ghana’s participation in BRICS. President John Dramani Mahama defended the diplomatic pivot, framing the application as a deliberate strategy to broaden the country’s development partnerships and deepen South-South cooperation.
Originally formed as BRIC by Brazil, Russia, India, and China to counter Western-dominated financial institutions, the organization expanded when South Africa joined in 2010.
All People’s Congress Challenges Executive Overreach
That executive decision prompted a sharp response from All People’s Congress leader Hassan Ayariga. In a press statement issued in Accra on October 17, 2026, the politician argued that major international economic commitments cannot be treated as the exclusive preserve of the presidency. He noted that while the constitution grants the executive responsibility for foreign policy and allows the cabinet to assist the president, that authority must not be confused with the strict constitutional requirements governing binding international agreements.
Ghana is a sovereign democratic republic, not the personal property of a president or his cabinet.
Hassan Ayariga, Founder and Leader of the All People’s Congress
While noting that he is not fundamentally opposed to establishing strategic economic ties with BRICS nations, Dr Alhaji Hassan Ayariga insisted that the pursuit of trade and investment must not bypass constitutional governance or parliamentary oversight. He warned that the country must not move from dependency on Western economic powers into a new dependency on Eastern economic powers
and maintained that national interests must guide every international agreement. Furthermore, he questioned why the constitutional representatives of the public should be excluded from examining the implications of this relationship, arguing that civil society, political parties, and the business community deserve an opportunity to contribute.
Constitutional Arguments and Parliamentary Oversight
The debate centers on the separation of powers under the 1992 Constitution. Article 1(1) establishes that sovereignty resides with the people of Ghana, while Article 75 grants the President authority to execute treaties, agreements, and conventions. However, Article 75(2) mandates that such arrangements require parliamentary ratification through an Act of Parliament or a supporting resolution before becoming legally binding.
Ayariga argued directly that Cabinet has neither constitutional nor legal basis for the approval or ratification of any such commitments
without legislative involvement. He maintained that parliament must never be reduced to a spectator in national decision-making.
