A Broadcast Journalist with Theovision Radio Network (Nkunim FM) in Asamankese of the Eastern Region, Mensah Atakora, has begun a campaign dubbed #Amend the 1992 Constitution now#.
The campaign aim at drawing Ghanaians and the Legislature attention to push for the amendment of the 29-year-old Constitution of Ghana.
It will recalled that, on 11th January 2010, late President John Evans Atta Mills inaugurated a nine-member Constitutional Review Commission, to review the current 1992 Ghana Constitution to ascertain from the people of Ghana, their views on the operation of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution, and in particular its strengths and weaknesses, articulate the concerns of the people on amendments that might be required for a comprehensive review and make recommendations to government for consideration and provide a draft Bill for possible amendments to the Constitution.
The late President Mills in 2010 observed that the almost 20-year-old Constitution needed a review, which would reflect views of the people to meet the aspirations and expectations of Ghanaians for efficient democratic governance.
About 40 proposed amendments include a review of the powers of the Executive President, the process of tabling and passing of private members bill in Parliament, decoupling the position of Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and a change of the date for conducting Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in the country.
The commission was under the chairmanship of Professor Albert Fiadjoe, an Emeritus Professor of Law at the University of West Indies.
Members of the Commission were Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, Mr. Akenten Appiah-Menka, a Lawyer and an Industrialist; Mrs. Sabina Ofori-Boateng, Consultant to the Legislative Drafting Unit of Parliament; Very Reverend Professor Samuel Kwasi Adjepong of Methodist University College; Dr. Nicholas Amponsah, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana; Mr. Gabriel Pwamang, a Legal Practitioner; Naa Iddrisu Abu Kumbum Naa, Paramount Chief of Kumbungu and Mrs. Jean Mensa, Executive Director of Institute of Economic Affairs.
On Tuesday, 20th December 2021, the Commission presented its final report to the late President at the Flagstaff House, now Jubilee House, and His Excellency John Dramani Mahama was the vice president.
Over ten years now of submitting the report, so,
1) Where is the report?
2) Why Mills/Mahama Government failed to implement the recommendations of the commission?
3) Why our current executive and legislature are failing to join the campaign for the amendment of the 1992 Constitution?
A former Member of Parliament under the Nkrumah-led Administration, Madam Lucy Aninwa Anin, has petitioned the government to review the 1992 Constitution as a matter of urgency.
In the petition, the former legislator said she was aware of the attempts made to review the constitution some years ago during the era of the late John Evans Atta-Mills which had proven futile.
In June 2019, late President Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, described as problematic some clauses in the 1992 Constitution and called for its immediate review.
In November 2000, a similar call was made by the same Rawlings that certain portions of the constitution must be amended to meet the changing conditions of society.
Addressing the Western Regional rally of the NDC at Tarkwa, Rawlings said the constitution is not a Bible but man-made and since society is dynamic, it should be amended when necessary to ensure that proper justice prevails in the country.
Former Chairperson of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Samia Yaba Nkrumah has also stated that Ghana’s current constitution does not aid in strengthening the country’s democracy.
According to the CPP Chair, the content of the 1992 Constitution influences the mindset of citizens.
Speaking at the 5th edition of The Accra Dialogue on Wednesday, August 22, the former lawmaker stated that Ghanaians need to seek a change or an amendment to the constitution as it does not make all Ghanaian citizens equal before the law. “The 1992 constitution is not helping Ghana’s democracy. We are all in Ghana as citizens, but not equal before the law,” she complained.
In August 2009, Member of Parliament for Asawase, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has called for the amendment of Ghana’s Constitution to enable the leadership of political parties to find replacements for their Members of Parliament (MP) who die before their tenure of office ends.
Mr. Muntaka who spoke to the GNA after raising the issue in his tribute to the late Doris Seidu, former MP for Chereponi, on the floor of Parliament, said tension, bitterness, and rancor that mounted in Lambussie, Kumawu, Bimbilla, Asawase, and Akwatia are all testimonies to his assertion.
Moreover, I call on Ghanaians to join the call for the implementation of the late President Atta Mills Constitutional Review Commission’s report or, the current Government should establish another Commission as matter of urgency to seek for Ghanaians views on the amendment of the 1992 Constitution which is currently favoring few people, especially Political leaders and Chief Executives in state Institutions.
Source: Mensah Atakora # Amend the 1992 Constitution now campaigner#
0245604256/atakora.kofi@yahoo.com
