The Atta-Mills Institute, a policy think tank, has called for the implementation of the white paper on the Constitution Review Commission (CRC), established under the late President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills’ administration.
The President in fulfillment of an electoral promise inaugurated the CRC on January 11, 2010.
It was to among other things ascertain from Ghanaians their views on the operation of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution and, in particular, the strengths and weaknesses of the Constitution.
It was to also articulate the concerns of the people of Ghana, on amendment that may be required for a comprehensive review of the 1992 constitution.
The Commission was to make recommendations to the government for consideration and provide a draft bill for possible amendments to the Constitution.
It had eminent persons comprising traditional leaders, professionals, clergy and the academia and chaired by Professor Albert Kodzo Fiadjoe.
The Institution is of the view that, the recommendations provide solutions of the public discussion on the Article 71 holders’ emoluments, the President’s power of appointments and other recommendations of national interest.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, Mr Samuel Koku Anyidoho, made the advocacy on Wednesday at a press conference in Accra to highlight activities marking the commemoration of the death of President Mills, who died nine years ago.
The event themed, “Nine years of enhancing the legacy to build a better Ghana” was to bring into the public domain the legacies of the late president, who was the first sitting president of the Fourth Republic to have passed on.
Mr Anyidoho said although some of the recommendations suggested limits on the powers of the President, the late Mills was willing to implement them.
Mr Anyidoho called for stakeholders’engagements to ascertain the significance of the recommendations, for possible consideration to deepen the country’s democracy.
“We are trying to point out to the country, the visionary thinking of the late President Mills. He foresaw that if nothing is done about the constitution, Ghanaians would start raising questions about our system of governance,” he said.
“The institute is a non-governmental and non-profit, policy brain box with a social democratic orientation, with a mindset of transformational approach to shaping and driving the discourse of nation-building,” Mr Anyidoho added.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
