It's too early to review 1992 Constitution - Agbesi

Ashaiman, June 8, GNA - Mr Alfred Agbesi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, has stated that it was too early to review the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

Mr Agbesi said the Constitution needed at least 25 years before it could be reviewed.

He said this on Tuesday at Ashaiman when Members of the Constitution Review Commission held a consultation forum with residents of the Municipality. The forum, which was the first to be organized in the Greater-Accra Region since its inception in January this year, was to enable members to collect public views on some possible Articles and Clauses of the Constitution to be reviewed and amended.

Articles which were being considered for review included the Term of Office of the President; the Powers of the President; Appointment of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs); and Appointment of Majority of Ministers from Parliament.

Mr Agbesi, however, stated that the Commission should consider maintaining the four-year term of office of the President.

He also called for the voting for MMDCEs adding that the president could nominate five persons to be voted for by the people as that would make the assemblies more democratic.

The Ashaiman MP indicated that when voted for, MMDCEs would be more accountable to the people.

Mr Agbesi said appointment of MPs as ministers should be reviewed, explaining that the current situation of appointing majority of ministers from Parliament hindered the effective running of the House. Very Reverend Professor Samuel K. Adjepong, Member of the Commission, explained that the Constitution, being the sovereign document of the country, could be legally reviewed and this prompted the inauguration of the Commission by the President, Prof John Evans Atta Mills. He said the Commission's duty was to collate, analyze and make recommendations to the President on the review and amendment of the 1992 Constitution.

Very Rev. Prof. Adjepong encouraged the public to participate in the consultation forums, indicating that the Commission has so far received about 6,000 submissions from people, organizations and the public. Numo Adinortey Addison, Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), urged the public not to politicize the intended review, but should rather express views freely on the issue.

He reiterated the call for the election of MMDCEs explaining that it would benefit the people, since the winner would focus on the people rather than on his or her political party.

Most participants agreed that the four-year term of office of the President should be maintained, while MMDCEs must be voted for.

They called for independent funding of the Electoral Commission through allocation of funds to it by Parliament to ensure its neutrality. Some of them complained about the meagre funds allocated to the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) which was responsible for educating the public on civic issues.

They spoke against having too many ministries and ministers as well as the appointment of ministers from Parliament. They suggested that Parliament should be given the mandate to vote on judges to be appointed to the Supreme Court, instead of such power vested only in the President, since that could corrupt their decisions. 8 June 10