Is this a problem or not?
A simple fix:
1. add a STLIBS variable in Makefiles as normal prerequisite
2. using GNU make's function to generate '-Lxxx -lxxx' for items in STLIBS
For example: libpgfeutils.a in psql's Makefile:
'''
# function to generate '-Lxxx -lxxx', may put in another file
expand_stlibs = $(patsubst %,-L%,$(dir $(1))) $(patsubst lib%.a,-l%,$(notdir $(1)))
# static lib
STLIBS := $(top_builddir)/src/fe_utils/libpgfeutils.a
# add STLIBS as normal prerequisite
psql: $(OBJS) $(STLIBS) | submake-libpq submake-libpgport submake-libpgfeutils
$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(OBJS) $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_EX) $(LIBS) -o $@$(X)
'''