Speaker calls for national consensus building

The Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho has expressed the need for consensus building among all the Arms of Government, and cautioned that one constitutional body should never be allowed to attack another.

Mr Adjaho also reminded Members of Parliament to uphold the dignity of House.

Equally, the nation must do more to identify its heroes and honour them even as they are still alive.

The Speaker gave the advice at the weekend during his turn at a symposium organised by the House, in Accra, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of Mr Justice Daniel Francis Kweipe Annan, the first Speaker of Parliament under the Fourth Republic.

The symposium was on the theme: “Democratic Governance by the three Arms of Government under the 1992 Constitution.”

Speakers at the symposium, which was followed with a remembrance and thanksgiving service on Saturday at the Forecourt of the State House shared fond memories of the late Justice Annan’s many contributions to Ghana’s political development, especially to Parliament.

The Executive was represented by Dr Ekwow Spio- Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry; the Judiciary by Justice William Atuguba and Justice Sophia Akufo; and Parliament by Mr Doe Adjaho, Majority Leader Alban Sumana Babgin, and Mr Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah, Member of Parliament for Akrofuom.

In attendance at the symposium was Nana Dr S K B Asante, an international legal luminary, who also formulated proposals for the 1992 Constitution.

Mr Adjaho recalled the early days of the Fourth Republic, and observed that at those very difficult moments, the late Justice Annan stood up to the task as Speaker with the skill and wisdom to steer the affairs of the House.

He commended Ghanaians for keeping the nation’s democracy intact for almost 25 years, since the adoption of the 1992 Constitution, and suggested that it was necessary for the nation to identify a number of people that had made that possible and honour them.

At the memorial on Saturday, the Very Reverend Ashford Quarcoo, Superintendent Minister of the Abossey Okai Methodist Church, in a sermon urged the living to be dedicated to their duties.

He paid tribute the late Justice Annan as having worked hard, and rendered dedicated service to God and country as well as family and church.

The Very Rev Ashford Quarcoo urged Ministers of State and political actors to see their service as representatives of God, and serve in a manner of calling.

He explained that each would be held accountable by God on how qualitative one served humanity.

The late Mr Justice Annan played various roles in public life. He was the Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy (NCD), Chairman of the National Economic Commission, Chairman of the Police Council, Member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and Member of the Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He was also Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), Member of the Advisory Board of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Appeals Court Judge, Circuit Court Judge, Senior State Attorney, and Assistant State Attorney Mr Justice Annan worshipped as a Methodist at the Wesley Cathedral (Asafoatse Nettey Road)] in Accra, where he was a member of the Men’s Fellowship.

He was also a Sports Enthusiast who loved Boxing, Football and Track and Field Athletics. It was on record that he first met President J. J. Rawlings through the sport of Boxing, when he promoted Ghana’s first world championship fight in Accra between Floyd Robertson and Sugar Ramos of Cuba.