The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has charged the Legislature to “uphold the sanctity of the Constitution and ensure that its provisions are adhered to in both letter and spirit” regarding the refusal of the President to assent to the three bills passed by the House.
Mr. Bagbin, in his official response to President Akufo-Addo, said his [Akufo-Addo] decision not to assent to the bills “do not align with the constitutional principles and procedures that govern our legislative process.”
The President, when presented with the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2023, 1 and 2, and the Ghana Armed Forces Amendment Bill 2023, indicated that the bills would have financial implications on the state’s coffers aside from the fact that it should have been pushed from his outfit rather than coming as Private Members’ Bills.
He cited Article 108 of the Constitution as his reason for refusing to sign the bills, adding that the consolidated fund would also suffer.
Presented by the Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis Xavier Sosu, President Akufo-Addo specifically noted that the Ghana Armed Forces Amendment Bill, will have financial burdens associated with replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment.
But in his response Friday, December 29, 2023, Mr. Bagbin says it was wrong for the President to unilaterally reject the bills that have gone through the parliamentary processes to that stage.
He says President Akufo-Addo’s act undermines the power of Parliament.
“…this procedure underlines a critical aspect of our constitutional democracy. The President cannot outrightly reject a bill in its entirety. The constitutional route provided for dealing with disagreements on a bill requires specific actions, focused on collaboration and reconsideration, rather than outright dismissal.
“The approach adopted by the President in this instance, where the bill has been wholly rejected, is not within the contemplation of our laws as stipulated in Article 106. This procedure adopted by the President, bypassing dialogue and reconsideration, undermines the constitutional process and the legislative authority of Parliament,” Mr. Bagbin indicated.
He continued that, “this House, as the representative of the people and the custodian of legislative authority, must uphold the sanctity of the Constitution and ensure that its provisions are adhered to in both letter and spirit.
“This is a moment for us to engage in a thoughtful and constructive dialogue, to express our views, and to bring our collective wisdom to bear on this matter of national importance.”
According to Speaker Bagbin, the deliberations the House will make “will form the basis of our collective response to the President and will chart the course for how this Parliament handles similar situations in the future. This is a defining moment for our democracy, and the decisions we make will have lasting implications.
“Our actions here will reaffirm our commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law, ensuring that the will of Parliament, as the embodiment of the people’s will, is respected and upheld,” he concluded.
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