Divergent views at Forum on constitutional review

Kade, May 20, GNA - Divergent views were expressed by people at a public forum on the constitutional review at Kade in the Kwaebibirem District on Thursday. Whereas some held the view that the President should continue to nominate District, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives others felt strongly that those for the positions should be voted for. Those agitating for the retention of the present arrangement said if all who were interested in the position should face the electorate in areas where the ruling party is in the minority the choice will come from a minority.

In which case, it would be impossible for such a person to carry out government policies and programmes. As a way out it was suggested the President could choose two or three persons from his party to face the electorate, for the one emerging victorious to head the metropolitan, municipal or district assembly. One contributor said under the present dispensation the nominated person would get elected only if he "passes fat envelops" around to "buy the assembly members" for their support.

It was also suggested that instead of individual manifestos, a national congress should be convened, which would prepare a national plan or programme of action to be followed by which ever party is in power. The "national think-tank" could review the programme from time to time as the exigencies of the times would dictate. A suggestion also came that if chiefs were not to engage in partisan politics, the country should have a second chamber in which they would be amply represented.

The team leader of the Constitution review commission, Mr Francis Asong Obuajo, said in the context of Africa and the developing world, Ghana had over the years been touted as a torchbearer in good governance. He said while there was no doubt that Ghana was making strides on the road map to constitutionalism, that were still too many challenges to the country's governance progress. A review of the constitution therefore represented nothing more than good house keeping for the nation and an attempt by the people of Ghana to fashion out home grown solutions on the country's governance problems. 20 May 10