Former Attorney General Martin Amidu has joined those protesting against the passage of the Postal Packets and Telecommunication Messages Bill into law because of its implications for the privacy of the citizens.
In a memo addressed to parliament on February 29, Mr Amidu insisted the bill has the tendency to infringe on the fundamental human rights and freedoms of citizens.
“It had the tendency to interfere with the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under the constitution and needed a critical bi-partisan examination and analysis to ensure that it secured civil liberties recognized in free and democratic societies,” he said.
Mr Amidu also noted that Section 18 of the bill which requires the Chief Justice to appoint “a Justice of the High Court to supervise the implementation of this Act” is a deviation from the standards of other democratic societies.
He further described as absurd the fact that the Bill required the supervision of a High Court Judge and the fact that this bill could see the National Security Co-ordinator be granted powers and access to information the constitution does not entitle him to.
“It is even absurd that the Bill requires the High Court Judge to submit reports on compliance with the Act to the National Security Co-ordinator. It is also absurd that even the Minister with responsibility for Security and Intelligence is made a mere conduit of the National Security Co-ordinator in the transmission of reports on the Act to Parliament. Clearly the National Security Co-ordinator must be arrogating to himself powers which even the Constitution does not grant him over Ministers of the Republic of Ghana.”
Click here for Mr. Amidu’s full memo.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana