Counting the political insurgencies that Ghana has undergone with its associated military regimes in the past years, President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo held that the 1992 Constitution, as imperfect as it may seem, is has served the nation well.
“Mr Speaker, it is not a perfect document, Constitutions do not ever pretend to be; but it has served us well these past thirty-two (32) years, considering where we have come from. It is a sacred document that should not be tampered with lightly, but, I hasten to add, our Constitution did not descend from heaven, we, Ghanaians, drew it up to serve our needs, and we can amend it to suit our changing needs and circumstances,” he noted.
But private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, thinks the laws have served the President’s interest than the entire nation.
On the KeyPoints with Alfred Ocansey on TV3 Saturday, February 02, 2024, Mr. Kpebu said the President’s State of the Nation address did not reflect his reality, especially for refusing to talk about corruption and describing the Constitution as a good law.
He indicated that the fact that the Constitution allows him to appoint his brother as Finance Minister for his family to benefit at the expense of the state, and refusing to sack him when Ghanaians asked for it is a clear indication that the Constitution rather served his parochial interest rather than the entire country.
“The reason the speech doesn’t reflect my reality is that, I don’t see the President talking about the hungry people so much. Let’s even begin with corruption. You heard people say the President didn’t talk about corruption and corruption is our biggest problem. It’s obvious that we are suffocating under this constitution.
“This is the constitution that has enabled Akufo-Addo to appoint his brother as Finance Minister, –we were just talking about bonds; –so we borrow, bonds, and their family becomes rich. All Parliamentarians come and advise him that sack your brother from the Ministry of Finance and over a year and half later before he does so,” he explained.
“Citizens asked to vote for MMDCEs on nonpartisan lines. There is a CDD survey that says that 76% of citizens say so and then the President says no, me alone. So you call such a constitution a constitution that has served us well? I mean how?
“The statement should have been it has served the President’s parochial interest and made his family rich,” he said.
the lawyer has meanwhile, called for the passage of the Conduct of Public Officers’ Bill to be hastened in order to curb corruption.
‘Publish or perish’ – Kpebu on need to hasten legislation on Conduct of Public Officers’ Bill
