Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Constitution Review Commission receives 32,000 submissions
Sunyani (B/A), Aug. 17, GNA - The Constitution Review Commission (CRC) has so far received 32,000 submissions from the public since it begun work, Professor Albert Fiadjoe, Chairman of the CRC has said.
The Commission has been organising public hearings and mini consultations to assess the weaknesses and strengths of the 1992 Constitution for possible amendments.
Addressing the opening of a two-day public hearing at Brong-Ahafo Region in Sunyani on Monday, Prof. Fiadjoe called on Ghanaians to make more recommendations through the offices of the Regional Coordinating Councils, District and Municipal Assemblies, Traditional Councils and offices of the National Commission for Civic Education to the CRC.
After the hearings, the Commission is required to present a draft bill to government for possible amendments to the 1992 Constitution.
Prof. Fiadjoe explained that it was the mandate of the CRC to ensure that all Ghanaians irrespective of their tribe, political and religious inclinations are given the opportunity to interact with the Commission and to bring recommendations on the weaknesses and strengths of the 1992 Constitution.
He expressed appreciation to the people of Brong-Ahafo for demonstrating a high level of enthusiasm in the hearing process and expressed the optimism that the CRC would receive more submissions during the two-day programme.
Prof. Fiadjoe commended the NCCE for its continued support to the CRC in the course of their duties.
Dr Nicholas Amponsah, member of the CRC, reiterated that the Commission "is extremely poised and ready to deliver a product that has the reflective and collective philosophy of all Ghanaians".
He advised the public to collaborate with the Commission by expressing their views freely to make the exercise a resounding success.
Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Regional Minister, noted Ghana's uninterrupted two decades of constitutional rule under the Fourth Republic based on the 1992 Constitution.
As a living document, he stressed, the Constitution needs to be periodically reviewed to reflect the dynamics of change in the world in general and Ghana in particular.
He commended the level of dedication and engagement of the Commission and challenged the people in the Region to fully utilize the unique opportunity offered them by actively and positively engaging in the discourse to assist in pushing the country's democracy and governance to a higher pedestal.
Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II, Omanhene of Kukuom Traditional Area, who presided, noted with concern that a number of Ghanaians had problems in some Articles of the Constitution, adding, the exercise would pave the way for such people to make their intentions known to the Commission.
He explained that the exercise was a national one devoid of partisan politics and exhorted the participants to ask relevant questions to make the programme successful.
Osahene Aterkyi, who is president of the Regional House of Chiefs, commended government for establishing the Commission, saying the exercise was a clear manifestation of participatory approach in decision making.
GNA
Constitution Review Commission to hold consultations with the media
Accra, Aug. 6, GNA - The Constitution Review Commission would hold a mini consultation with the media in Accra on Monday, August 9.
A statement issued in Accra on Friday and signed by Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), said the consultation was to afford media personnel and representatives of media related institutions to offer their views and perspectives on the 1992 Constitution.
It said among those invited were editors and executives of media institutions particularly, GJA, Editors Forum, Ghana (EFG), Media Foundation for West Africa and Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana.
Others are Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association, Institute of Public Relations, Ghana, Advertisers Association of Ghana, and the Ghana Community Radio Network.
GNA
Persons with Disabilities receive education on Constitution review
As part of its operational strategy, the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) in collaboration with the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD) last Thursday organized a forum in Accra for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to educate them on the constitution review process and its concept.
The review provides a platform for the people of Ghana to express their opinion on the fundamental law, which governs their lives, organizers said.
Making a presentation at the forum, Mr. Clement Kojo Akupane, Counsel/Researcher at the CRC, explained to participants that the CRC was mandated by the President to ascertain from the people of Ghana, their views on the operations of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution and in particular the strengths and weaknesses of the constitution.
Thereafter, the Commission is expected to make recommendations to the government for consideration and to provide a draft bill for possible amendment to the 1992 Constitution.
According to him, after 16 years of operating the 1992 Constitution there are calls for review many of the provision of the constitution. "It appears that the continuous operation of the constitution for over a decade and a half has resulted in the identification of some parts of the constitution that need to be reviewed", he observed.
He mentioned that the purpose of the exercise as often stated is to remove contradictions and ambiguities, supply omissions and make the constitution more practical and relevant to the needs of Ghanaian.
Other voices have cautioned that the constitution should be operated for a few more years in order to have a clearer idea of what review process would contribute to Ghana's democracy and constitutionalism.
Advocates of this view generally believe that 16 years is too short a period for amending a document as important as a national constitution. They also argue that many problems with the constitution would seem to come from the operators of the constitution and not the text of the constitution.
Mr. Akupane maintained that many proposals were made for the amendment of the 1992 Constitution in order to provide for more orderly transition from one government to another in the wake of closely fought presidential election in 2008 that went into run off.
He explained that the first cardinal principle is that the exercise would create an open and receptive avenue for Ghanaians to participate in a debate on all the critical issues that affect their lives and livelihoods as part of a process of building citizenship.
He said the process is designed to be non-partisan and very participatory. "This approach is critical to achieving the broad principles of constitutional review especially those relating to building an active citizenry."
Participants expressed gratitude to the organizers for recognizing them and assured them of their support.
Author: Mohammed Suleman/Public Agenda
Constitution Review Commission holds forum at Ajumako
June 04, 2010
Ajumako (C/R), June 4, GNA — Participants at a constitution Review Commission at Ajumako in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District of the Central Region have stressed the need for traditional rulers to stay ways from active to enable them continue to command the respect of the people.
It was organised by the Commission, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District Assembly and the District Secretariat of the National Commission of Civic Education (NEEC) and attended by a cross-section of people including chiefs, assembly members, traders, farmers and opinion leaders.
They also suggested that assembly members be paid ex-gratia after their four years' service from the Consolidated Fund.
The participants proposed that chiefs be given a possible second chamber of parliament where chiefs and Queen mothers could be integral part of the legislative process and governance system.
They said that whoever would take the position of Vice President when there is a vacancy should be stated clearly in the constitution.
The District Chief Executive for the area, Mr Peter Light Koomson, commended the methodology of the review process by the Constitution Review Commission for not limiting the exercise to a selected few of the populace like the academics and constitutional experts in the big cities.
GNA
Government asked to empower NCCE for effective work
May 21, 2010
Wa, May 21, GNA - Mr. Abdul-Shakur Saeed, an Assistant State Attorney in the Upper West region, has appealed to the government to empower the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) to carry out its constitutional mandate effectively by increasing its budget.
He said the NCCE appeared to be the poorest organization in the country, to the extent that some regions did not even have a working vehicle to enable the staff perform their duties.
"A constitutional body like the NCCE should not be allowed to be in such a situation. If we do not empower the NCCE our society will continue to grope in the dark".
Mr. Saeed said this when he spoke on "poverty - a threat to constitutionalism and multi party democracy in Ghana" in a lecture to mark constitution week celebration.
He said poverty was a destabilizing factor in many parts of the country because a person who was well cushioned to enjoy life would not give himself up for recruitment to fight for a cause that did not directly affect him.
"Where there are unemployed youth the potential for violent conflicts exist".
Mr. Saeed condemned the 'winner takes all" mentality in the country's political system and called for the institution of measures to eradicate it, saying unless it was abandoned, the nation would one day regret for it.
"My opponent must fast for eight years because I am in power is not good for the nation", he said.
Touching on corruption, he said it was very difficult to prove corruption beyond reasonable doubt in court under the Criminal Offences Act.
This, he said, was the reason behind the resort to the use of the "Law of causing financial loss to the State" to prosecute public figures who have been accused of corrupt practices.
GNA