Be Objective-- Prez urges shakeholders in constitutional review

Wednesday March 2, 2011
By Edmund Mingle
President John Evans Atta Mills yesterday opened the National Constitution Review Conference in Accra with a call on all stakeholders participating in the review process to be highly objective analyzing issues for constitutional amendment.

“I urge you all to be very objective and dispassionate as you express your views,” he told the about 2000 conference participants.

That, he said, would ensure that the outcome of the review process could produce a national constitution that would stand the test of time and be in the best interest of all Ghanaians.

The conference, being attended by representatives of organizations and institutions from across the broad spectrum of the Ghanaian society including the Executive, Parliament, Judiciary, political parties, media, security services, traditional rulers, civil society groups, trade unions, professional bodies, business community, academia and legal experts, is aimed at reviewing submissions for amendment of the 1992 fourth Republican Constitution.

Among other things, the conference, which has the theme, “The Constitution, our identity,” is to discuss the over 80,000 submissions received by the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) that have been framed into 12 thematic areas, to help in forming a national consensus on various matters for Constitutional amendment.

Present also the five-day conference were Vice President John Mahama, former President Rawlings and his wife, the Chief Justice, Mrs. Justice Georgina Wood. Former President Kufour and former Vice President Aliu Mahama could not make it due to other pressing issues.

Justifying the reason for the review, President Mills said after 19 years of operating the 1992 Constitution, there was a meeting of minds for the need to reshape the Constitution to make it more responsive to the exigencies of current times.

He thanked the patriot Ghanaians who sacrificed to produce the Constitution which has served the nation very well, saying “it is time for us to strengthen the foundation on which the Constitution is built on.”

The President expressed appreciation to the CRC and its partners for the work done so far, saying the large number of submissions reflected the desire of Ghanaians for a review of the constitution.

He also lauded the comprehensive consultative strategy adopted by the Commission, indicating that it was critical that all views were captured.

In addition, President Mills commended Ghanaians for embracing the review process, and hoped the process would yield the desired results.

Professor Albert Fiadjoe, Chairman of the CRC, thanked the hundreds of Ghanaians and institutions have actively participated in the review process, as well as those who continue to provide constructive criticisms.

He said irrespective of the polarization of many national issues, there the submissions reflected a general view that the review was warranted.

Responding to criticisms that the review was not necessary, Prof. Fiadjoe said the thousands of submissions received from all sectors across the country, defeated that criticism.

“When constitutions fail, countries disintegrate,” he noted, and gave the assurance that the CRC would continue to put in place effective measures to ensure that review process was protected against partisanship.

In addition, he said the Commission operated on the cardinal principle that the review process belonged to Ghanaians, and assured that the submissions to be discussed by the conference were faithful views of Ghanaians.

The thematic areas for discussions focus on national development planning, executive powers, legislative Powers, judiciary, legal Sector, decentralisation and local Government, Independent Constitutional Bodies, Public Services, Traditional institutions, human rights, lands and natural resources, national security, and transitional provisions and territories of Ghana.

The Commission, established by the President and inaugurated on January, 11, 2010, is mandated to among other things, ascertain from Ghanaians, their views on the operation of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution and, in particular, the strengths and weaknesses of the Constitution; articulate the concerns of Ghanaians on amendments that may be required for a comprehensive review of the Constitution; and make recommendations to the government for consideration and provide a draft Bill for possible amendments to the 1992 Constitution.
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