Constitution day meaningless – Mornah

A group calling itself the Revisionist Resistance Movement (RRM) has criticised the marking of January 7 as a public holiday insisting the declaration of a constitution holiday in place of the republic holiday is a clear manifestation of lack of appreciation of the nation’s history as a people and attempt to provoke citizens reaction.

A statement issued by the group and signed by its Convener, Bernard Mornah said: "Wish to state without a doubt the government's decision to set aside 7th January as Constitution day is without merit and at best meaningless, a distortion of history and pollution to the fertile minds of our youth.”

The group in its statement posited that: "Without retracing our historical journey as a nation, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah obtained Ghana’s Republican Status on the 1st of July 1960. This day effectively sealed the full independence and self-rule of Ghana. It also shattered colonial rule and made Ghana a truly Independent nation. Thus the REPUBLIC OF GHANA has been the same irrespective of whether civilian or military governments are in place.”

It continued:” The fact that constitutional governments have toppled cannot or has not in any way connote the abrogation of our Republic. Thus, the Republic of Ghana is static and unchangeable whereas a constitution of Ghana is dynamic and subject to change.

It added:” It is, therefore, incongruous for the government to substitute the celebration of the Republic day with the celebration of the constitution. We condemn this act totally. It smacks of dishonesty, it is disingenuous, a disservice to the good people of Ghana and bastardizes our self worth as a people.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information will hold the maiden Constitution Day Public Lecture today, Monday, January 7 as part of the first celebration of Constitution Day.

The Day is in recognition of the commencement of the 4th Republican constitutional dispensation on January 7, 1993.

It is also set aside to acknowledge the country’s collective efforts at ensuring that the tenets of democracy, rule of law and principles of constitutionalism are upheld.

A statement issued in Accra said the lecture will be delivered by the rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Philip Ebow Bondzi-Simpson, at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Professor Bondzie Simpson will deliver a paper on the topic “Constitutionalism in Ghana’s Fourth Republic: Towards Functional Performance”.