No Secret Agenda With Reconciliation Bill – AG

Attorney General and Minster of Justice, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has no intention of pursuing a secret agenda with the National Reconciliation exercise. The exercise is not also targeted at any regime.

According to him, the focus and thrust of the exercise is to provide a platform for those whose rights were abused during military regimes to seek redress. This is because, there were no avenues for people to seek redress or challenge decisions under military regimes.

Parliament last December passed the National Reconciliation Bill, which has been assented by the President. The minority members who had walked out of the House when the bill was passed say it was done under illegal circumstances and have called for its rejection.

The minority’s walk out stemmed from the fact that they wanted the bill proposed commission to investigate human right abuses from 1957. But Nana Akuffo Addo says there are windows of opportunity for those who have genuine grievances outside military regimes to make presentations before the commission.

Minority Leader, Alban Bagbin however rejected these claims saying that the greatest threat to democracy is the entrenchment of dictatorial rule whether in a military or civilian regime and “this is what we have committed ourselves to avoid.” He noted that the reconciliation process is not NPP’s idea since the NDC took reconciliatory steps by returning some confiscated assets to their owners during its reign.