The Member of Parliament for Zebilla, Cletus Avoka, is calling on Members of Parliament (MPs) not to be partisan during the debate over the constitution review process.
He warned that if this advised is not heeded to, the amendments made to the 1992 constitution “may not see the light of day.”
According to him, a two-thirds majority of all 275 Members of Parliament will be needed to vote in favour of the amendments therefore, a non-partisan approach is necessary in addressing the matter.
The former Majority leader in Parliament made this call at a dialogue meeting on the constitutional review process organised by the National Catholic Secretariat and the Ghana National Catholic Bishops Conference in Accra.
The dialogue was meant to review the progress the two institutions had made on their advocacy for the equation of economic, social, cultural rights to civil rights.
The Constitutional Review Commission (CRIC), mandated to implement the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) distributed the CRC’s report to all MPs, the Council of State, Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
All accredited tertiary institutions, religious organizations and professional bodies were also given copies of the CRC report for consideration.
In an interview with Citi News, Mr. Avoka said the constitution review process is a very critical matter “and I expect that the MPs will look at it with the seriousness that it deserves like we have done in other enactments.”
Ghanaians will be voting on proposed changes to the 1992 constitution in 2014 – the first time ever a constitution will be amended via referendum on two simple questions, to be responded to with “yes” or “no”.
The CRIC is working in collaboration with the Electoral Commission (EC) to hold a referendum on proposals for constitutional amendments this year.
The amendments would include some entrenched provisions in the 1992 Constitution.
Other amendments to the non-entrenched provisions would be done by the normal parliamentary process of passing legislation.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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