Chairperson, Her Ladyship Sophia Akuffo flanked by some of the religious leaders
Religious leaders of some religious groups have advocated for a review of sections of the constitution particularly Article 87 of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) to empower it to meet the development agenda of the country.
The religious leaders believe that Ghana could utilise its meagre resources to effectively develop the country if the functions of the NDPC were amended to make it binding on current and successive governments.
Speaking at the Rt. Hon. Prof. Mike Oquaye Centre for Constitutional Studies at the IEA seminar in Accra, Most Rev. Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo, Presiding Bishop Methodist Church, Ghana said a national development planning agenda entrusted to the NDPC would not only speed up the country’s development but also prevent them from throwing away a national plan just to deliver projects of partisan interest.
He said, “we see development coming up with state funds and when parties go out of power, these development plans come to a halt, we sink a lot of our money into the ground and nothing beneficial comes to the people.
“The national development Planning Commission must be entrusted with a development agenda of our nation such that no political party comes to throw whatever plans we have away,” he added.
Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam for his part called for a review of the mode of appointment to ensure diverse stakeholder representation in order to depoliticise its work.
President of the World Wide Miracle Outreach, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, also mentioned that any review of the constitution should consider the long term development vision of the state though having agreed with other bodies who have called for a review of the constitution describing the powers of the President as excessive.
He, however, recommended six year tenure for a President instead of the four year tenure stipulated in the 1992 constitution.
That, he explained will offer emerging economies like Ghana time and space to establish its structures.
Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, said more could be achieved as a nation if the fundamental challenges facing all sectors of the economy were addressed.
He also asked Ghanaians to continuously respect the rights and dignity of each other as enshrined in the constitution.
General Secretary of the Christ Apostolic Church Int., Apostle Samuel Amponsah-Frimpong, on behalf of the Chairman of the Ghana Pentecostal and charismatic churches (GPCC), said though the constitution has contributed to the socio-economic development of the country, “strategic review of certain portions is needed to make it more practical inclined to meet the present challenges as well as deepen the country’s democracy.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah