Martin Luther Kpebu, a private legal practitioner, has called for the amendment of the 1992 Constitution, saying the current laws of the land are suffocating the citizens.
The lawyer’s call is the latest among many who think the over three-decade-old constitution has outlived its usefulness, and rather creating problems for the nation.
His comments come on the back of the ‘sacking’ of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as Leader of the Majority by his party, –the New Patriotic Party (NPP) –a power wielded the political parties by the constitution which the lawyer says needs to be changed.
Martin Kpebu, like others, has said considering the number of years the Member of Parliament has worked and served the New Patriotic Party (NPP), it surprises him that he had to hear of his reshuffle on the media.
“It is extremely embarrassing that as Majority Leader you hear that you’re going to be sacked in the news. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu hears about his sacking in the news and you think that’s a joke? Is that how you’ll pay somebody for all the work he’s done? What’s the rush? What prevented the President or the party leaders from calling him ahead?” he said.
The Suame lawmaker, after serving in the House for 27 years, and in the leadership ranks for 23 years, resigned from his position as Majority Leader after news of his reshuffle went viral on social and traditional media.
Many have described his resignation as a sack considering the circumstances surrounding it. But, Martin Kpebu says the source of the problem is the Constitution which needs to be tackled, since the parties are exercising their power based on the laws of the land.
“So, I look at it and then what it raises is that we have to look at the system of governance again. There is no week that a problem of governance arises and it doesn’t touch the constitution. So it tells you, we’re suffocating under this constitution.
“So, what I see is that, the power the parties wield over the MPs is unwieldy. Let’s get a better system. Let’s move away from the British system. When the sacking came I was like, can we blame the parties that much? It’s the laws we have. It’s given them too much power,” he told Alfred Ocansey on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, February 24, 2024.
He explained further that the Constitution as well as Act 300 mandates political parties to call for the expulsion of Members of Parliament whom they deem unfit for purposes which do not serve the interest of the party.
The renowned lawyer attributed the docility of the lawmakers to the provision in the constitution that gives the political parties so much power above the legislators.
“So you see why the MPs are that docile? The parties wield unwieldy power over the MPs so you make them docile,” he noted.
