Constitution Day: Amend Some Constitutional Provisions To Allow The Election Of MMDCEs.......GJN. 

Today is Constitution Day, a public holiday set aside to mark the coming into effect of the 1992 Constitution and the birth of the Fourth Republic. The Ghana Journalists Network (GJN) wishes all a memorable holiday.

The day reminds Ghanaians of their commitment to uphold the tenets of the rule of law, constitutionalism, and democracy. More importantly, the day is to remind the citizens of their collective commitment to a regime of uninterrupted constitutional order.

It also states, in very clear terms, the fundamental rights and duties of all citizens. For that matter, the GJN reminds all to end the apparent impunity for crimes and assaults against Journalists’.

 Instead, journalists must be supported and commended for their courage, particularly across the African Continent where a free press is an expensive commodity.

The recent surge in assaults and killings of journalists for not kowtowing to the whims and caprices of their so-called paid masters is mind-boggling. They were also abused for raising awareness of crimes committed against the voiceless and the country at large.

Such unproductive brutalities must stop, and now. Enough is enough. 

Being the fourth estate of the realm, and in the significance of the day, the GJN makes the below contribution to the national quest for constitutional review and nation-building.

 Election of MMDCES: The government must show greater commitment to amend some constitutional provisions to allow the election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs). This will significantly deepen local governance, and promote transparency and accountability.

It would also reduce the president's power of appointment, break the winner-takes-all system, and allow political parties to share power in the Executive.

 Reduce executive powers: The powers of the President to make key appointments to state institutions, particularly the security agencies and the Electoral Commission, must be reviewed.

That will give impetus to the fight against corruption, bribery, nepotism, and excessive partisanship or political coloration in key appointments.

Corruption fight: Corruption should be made a treasonable offense (high crime) and people who report corrupt practices must be protected and rewarded. This will encourage all to report corrupt people and deter others from doing the same.

 Job creation: There must be pragmatic measures to reduce unemployment identified by researchers as a national security threat. The large unemployment rate in the country is also a potential source of religious extremism that can lead to terrorism. 

 Economic stability. Though the government has pledged not to allow election-related matters to slow down the economy and general activities in the country, as happens in election years.

However, the government must ensure it won’t falter on the economy ahead of the December 7 election. Therefore, it must put in place cogent measures to ensure that election-year fiscal slippages do not recur.

The special salary and emoluments dispensation given to office holders under Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution should be scrapped or reviewed by an independent committee. 

The provision is discriminatory. It has created a super-class of people at the expense of others, fuelling discrimination and injustice against other classes of public sector workers.

Conclusion: The GJN, therefore, calls for more selfless patriotic approaches to discussions about the economy and other sectors of development.

This is the time to eschew extreme political partisanship in discussions and look to attaining the collective success and well-being of ordinary Ghanaians.

The country needs patriotic citizens who are ready to put the well-being of the country above selfish interests, and it starts with you and now.

God bless our homeland, Ghana…

And make our nation great, rich, and strong forever.

 Signed

Shadrack Owusu Asante (Secretary, GJN)