The Chief Justice, Mr Justice George Kingsley Acquah on Tuesday called for a national realistic wage policy to ensure sustainable constitutional governance.
He said reasons for the overthrow of past constitutional administrations were linked to low wages and economic hardships the working class were facing.
Mr Justice Acquah made the call when he addressed the opening session of the 55th Annual New Year School being organised by the Institute of Adult Education of the University of Ghana (IAE/UG) at Legon.
The theme for the School is: " A Decade of Constitutional Rule in Ghana, Critical Issues Facing The Nation."
"Our resolve is to find a way out in order that our country could sustain the political peace we are enjoying", he said.
The week-long School that attracted over 200 participants is discussing topics like "NEPAD: Prospects and Challenges", "Food Security and Poverty Reduction," "Parliament in the Fourth Republic: Lessons Learnt ", and "Election 2004: Expectations,"
In reference to the current debate that the country's Executive has excessive powers, the Chief Justice said the surest guarantee to the success of constitutional democracy was not necessarily the number of checks and balances in the constitution.
He said what was needed was a high level of commitment of those in power to operate the constitution faithfully and the willingness of the people to live with it.
"For however well-crafted institutional checks and balances a constitution may contain, the final determinant is the actual behaviour of the people in authority in observing the rules and procedures", the Chief Justice said.
Mr Justice Acquah who quoted the constitution extensively to support his address lauded the contribution of Parliament for growing in stature and its role in making new laws and reshaping existing ones. He said the high level of debate particularly under the third Parliament of the Fourth Republic had been extraordinary except few controversies.
Parliament could certainly have been more informative and its deliberative role enhanced if members forged partnership and cooperation instead of being partisan.
Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG) said frequent ethnic and chieftaincy conflicts undermine national stability and development, explaining that the immense development that took place in South-East Asia in the 1960's and 1990's was the result of relative peace and stability.
He stressed the need for Ghana to uphold national stability and the rule law at all times to attract the level of investments to achieve the desired income per capita of 1000 dollars in the next 10 years. Professor Asenso-Okyere also expressed the need for concerted efforts to check corruption, saying, media coverage of corruption limited it to politicians alone.
Mrs Kate Adoo-Adeku, Acting Director of the IAE who read the progress report of the Institute announced an outreach sustainable development project for the Ga District in the Greater Accra Region in 2004.
She said the IAE was the first in West Africa to initiate a Distance Education course and Care Given Programme on HIV-AIDS. Oyeeman Wereko Ampem II, Chancellor of the UG who chaired the function called on the electorate to ensure a peaceful general election next year.
He commended the IAE for sustaining the School for 55 years with focus on frank discussions on pressing national issues. A sidelight of the opening ceremony was a special programme to honour Professor Miranda Greenstreet, former Director of the IAE.
She was presented with gifts that went along with a citation for her meritorious service to the growth of the Institute.
The Chief Justice, Mr Justice George Kingsley Acquah on Tuesday called for a national realistic wage policy to ensure sustainable constitutional governance.
He said reasons for the overthrow of past constitutional administrations were linked to low wages and economic hardships the working class were facing.
Mr Justice Acquah made the call when he addressed the opening session of the 55th Annual New Year School being organised by the Institute of Adult Education of the University of Ghana (IAE/UG) at Legon.
The theme for the School is: " A Decade of Constitutional Rule in Ghana, Critical Issues Facing The Nation."
"Our resolve is to find a way out in order that our country could sustain the political peace we are enjoying", he said.
The week-long School that attracted over 200 participants is discussing topics like "NEPAD: Prospects and Challenges", "Food Security and Poverty Reduction," "Parliament in the Fourth Republic: Lessons Learnt ", and "Election 2004: Expectations,"
In reference to the current debate that the country's Executive has excessive powers, the Chief Justice said the surest guarantee to the success of constitutional democracy was not necessarily the number of checks and balances in the constitution.
He said what was needed was a high level of commitment of those in power to operate the constitution faithfully and the willingness of the people to live with it.
"For however well-crafted institutional checks and balances a constitution may contain, the final determinant is the actual behaviour of the people in authority in observing the rules and procedures", the Chief Justice said.
Mr Justice Acquah who quoted the constitution extensively to support his address lauded the contribution of Parliament for growing in stature and its role in making new laws and reshaping existing ones. He said the high level of debate particularly under the third Parliament of the Fourth Republic had been extraordinary except few controversies.
Parliament could certainly have been more informative and its deliberative role enhanced if members forged partnership and cooperation instead of being partisan.
Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG) said frequent ethnic and chieftaincy conflicts undermine national stability and development, explaining that the immense development that took place in South-East Asia in the 1960's and 1990's was the result of relative peace and stability.
He stressed the need for Ghana to uphold national stability and the rule law at all times to attract the level of investments to achieve the desired income per capita of 1000 dollars in the next 10 years. Professor Asenso-Okyere also expressed the need for concerted efforts to check corruption, saying, media coverage of corruption limited it to politicians alone.
Mrs Kate Adoo-Adeku, Acting Director of the IAE who read the progress report of the Institute announced an outreach sustainable development project for the Ga District in the Greater Accra Region in 2004.
She said the IAE was the first in West Africa to initiate a Distance Education course and Care Given Programme on HIV-AIDS. Oyeeman Wereko Ampem II, Chancellor of the UG who chaired the function called on the electorate to ensure a peaceful general election next year.
He commended the IAE for sustaining the School for 55 years with focus on frank discussions on pressing national issues. A sidelight of the opening ceremony was a special programme to honour Professor Miranda Greenstreet, former Director of the IAE.
She was presented with gifts that went along with a citation for her meritorious service to the growth of the Institute.
