Concerns about constitution amendment will be addressed if parliament is more stringent - Godfred Dame

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame, has said that If parliament were more stringent in their duties, concerns about constitution amendment would be addressed.

According to him, parliament, with its powers, can play a more robust role in scrutinising the government's activities.

He noted in an interview with the Graphic Newspaper, that the Constitution of Ghana, 1992, states clearly areas of Parliamentary oversight where Parliament could effectively exercise its powers to scrutinise actions and decisions of the government.

“Indeed, I believe that if Parliament was to be exercising its powers more stringently and appropriately, I am sure that most of the concerns of people regarding the Constitution will be addressed. The failure on the part of Parliament to exercise these oversight responsibilities cannot be attributed to defects in the Constitution.” he said.

To support his assertion, the Attorney-General cited numerous provisions in the Constitution.

Specifically, he referred to Parliament's constitutional function to approve Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State under Article 78, as well as the approval of Justices of the Supreme Court under Article 144.

Additionally, Dame highlighted other powers of Parliament, including the approval of the budget under Article 179, the authority to impose or vary taxation under Article 174, and the power to ratify international treaties and agreements under Article 75.

He also pointed out Parliament's authority to approve loans and international business and economic transactions under Article 181, and the power to approve any transaction or undertaking involving the exploitation of natural resources in the country under Article 268.

More also, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, underscored Parliament's authority to appoint an auditor to audit the Auditor-General under Article 187, as well as its power to establish committees for investigations and inquiries into the activities of ministries and departments under Article 103 of the Constitution.

He further emphasised that these existing powers granted to Parliament in the Constitution are capable of placing it in a strong position to curb executive power.

His call for more stringent oversight aligns with the belief that a proactive Parliament can play a pivotal role in addressing constitutional concerns and ensuring a robust system of checks and balances.

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