Northern region backs constitutional amendment

The Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, has reiterated that it is important for Ghana to amend some 97 provisions in the 1992 Constitution identified by the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) to ensure peace during the 2016 General Election.

Dr Akwetey pointed out that parliament, which would amend those identified portions in the constitution must act fast because their decision is important to defuse tension.

He added that “If tension heightens higher during Election 2016 than that of Election 2012, Ghana is doomed”.

Dr Akwetey made the call at the ninth Regional Campaign on proposals for Multi-Party Governance (MPG) and Constitutional Reforms in Tamale on Monday.

The forum is organized by IDEG, Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) and Partners, National Peace Council, National House of Chiefs, Manhyia Palace, STAR-Ghana, State of Union (SOTU), IBIS and media partners.

The proposals are to deepen the hybrid system of multi-party governance, which has been the most stable and peaceful in Ghana’s political history.

The reforms include to devolve the monopolized power of the executive to local governments or assemblies through popular and party-based election for the MMDCEs, popular and party-based elections of assembly members and the introduction of a mixed member proportional representation system at the district assembly level for minority and marginalized groups.

The second proposal is strengthening national interest institutions to act professionally and impartially, to address the growing public mistrust of the ability of State institutions.

The third proposal seeks to reform the election system, which has an overload of elections during the four-year period - there are four to six elections taking place almost at the same time.

These are presidential, parliamentary, district level and political party elections, involving polling station, constituency, regional and national officers, parliamentary candidates and flag bearers. The fourth proposal is to reform political parties because they have become election machines, paying little attention to the formulation of public policies to effectively address development problems.

At the end of the deliberations, it was clear that the northern region is in support of the proposals to amend the 1992 constitution to deepen democracy.