President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo urges caution in amendment to Constitution

Emmanuel Bruce Politics Mar - 21 - 2023 , 07:06 2 minutes read

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called for the exercise of caution on the wholesale or limited amendment of the most successful and lasting Constitution in the history of the country, the 1992 Constitution.

He said without prejudging the outcome of the ongoing national debate, those calling for amendment should bear in mind that the 1992 Constitution had provided the bedrock for the longest uninterrupted, stable period of free governance in the otherwise turbulent history of the country.

“I can only say there is need for caution from all of us, by all of us in calling into question the Constitution which has provided the bedrock for the longest uninterrupted, stable period of free governance in our otherwise turbulent history,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo made the call when he swore in three members of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.

They are a Deputy Chairperson, Mr Victor K. Brobbey, and two members, Simon Ofori Ametepey and Bright Kwabla Agbodeka.

President Akufo-Addo made reference to the classical maxim: “Festina lente”, to wit “make haste slowly”, and urged the NCCE to be sensitive to the demands expressed in several quarters for wholesale or limited amendments to the Fourth Republican Constitution.

Favourite

Although the President noted that all the functions of the commission were important, he singled out for special mention the significance of the function set out in Article 233 Clause C of the Constitution: “To formulate for the consideration of government, from time to time, programmes at the national, regional and district levels aimed at realising the objectives of this Constitution.”

He added that since its establishment some 30 years ago, the NCCE had done its part in helping Ghanaians to recognise their freedoms and civic rights, even though they could still do much better in that regard.

He indicated that despite concerns raised in some quarters over the effectiveness of the NCCE in the discharge of its functions, with some going as far as advocating its ability abolition, he was of a different opinion.