Joseph Osei Wusu
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has said a national discourse aimed at amending some constitutional provisions may not be sufficient if the country fails to adopt a national orientation to help in its development.
Speaking at the Rt. Hon. Prof. Mike Oquaye Centre for Constitutional Studies seminar at the IEA in Accra, he said, even though the 1992 constitution may have some defects and hence the need for some provisions to be amended instilling values and principles in Ghanaians especially the youth would also go a long way to complement any amendment made.
Joseph Osei-Owusu who is also the Member of Parliament for Bekwai said it would be in the interest of the country to live the ‘word and letter’ of the constitution while initiating steps to imbibe values into people in society.
He said, “Will anything different happen if we change the wording and letter of the Constitution, I think just amendment will not make any difference if we continue to do the same things we have done them over the years. Will anything change if we change the letter and wording of the constitution, probably not.
The fine prints may have defects, we can change them, but that alone may not be sufficient but I think we should put more emphasis on changing our orientation, building more national values and selling them to kids”
He further argued that though the constitution may not be perfect as expected there were enough provisions in the existing constitution that covers all forms of issues that may arise.
He therefore recommended a national discourse on values and culture rather than focusing on amending the constitution which would not change the behavior and character of the Ghanaian.
The First Deputy Speaker also bemoaned how societal integrity has degenerated over the years by all fabric of society and yet elected public officers are always demonized as dishonest though they were not different from anybody else in society.
Mr. Samuel Atta Akyea, MP for Abuakwa South in his view said fusion of Ministers with members of parliament as associated with the current constitutional arrangement was not beneficial to the State.
According to him, it may be difficult for an MP who is also a Minister to shoot down the budget of his appointer per the constitutional arrangement as he may be tied to the dictate of ‘big men’.
He further recommended a national development plan that precedes political parties’ ideologies and manifesto.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah