President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo has urged Ghanaians to do everything within their means to safeguard the country’s democracy.
According to him, even though the nation is currently facing challenges, he has no doubt in the collective resolve of Ghanaians to overcome these obstacles and return the country to a path of progress and prosperity.
At the launch of 30 years of Parliamentary Democracy anniversary, the President Akufo-Addo said in a speech read on his behalf by Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, “We will not give up when it comes to deepening our democracy and guaranteeing the integrity of the electoral process, and neither should you, the Ghanaian people.”
“As President of the Republic, I assure you that out of duty to our children and grandchildren and generations yet unborn, my government will do everything it can to help strengthen Parliament,” he added.
The 30th anniversary is being held on the theme: “30 years of Parliamentary Democracy under the Fourth Republic: The Journey thus far.”
President Akufo-Addo asserted that Ghanaians need not look far back in history to see that a stable period of constitutional government and prudent economic management leads to prosperity.
“We have every right to be proud of this and the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the 4th Republic should inspire us even further to hold on to this status,” he noted, and continued that this milestone is to the great credit of the ordinary people who make up the fabric of the nation as well as Parliament.
“I fear that often than not many underestimate the importance of Parliament and consequently, undermines its work, adding, “We cannot emphasize enough the role of parliament in exercising the checks and balances needed on the executive.”
Constitutional Amendment
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that the time has come to re-engineer the country’s constitutional architecture to reflect current realities.
“We need a constitutional order that frowns upon winner-takes-all syndrome and promotes collaboration, collectiveness and consensus building in decision making at all levels of governance,” he stated.
He also wants a new constitution that ensures gender equity and, in many ways, equality in order to promote genuine development and prevent the constant increase in the number of seats in Parliament.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House