Constitutional irregularities not justification for coups

A Civic Education Campaigner, Mr Seth Adjei Baah on Friday said constitutional irregularities did not justify attempt by any individual or group of people to overthrow a constitutionally elected government.

He said the Constitution provided adequate modalities for redress, checks and balances and safeguarded against abuses and any form of irregularities, which must be exploited to ensure that democracy was sustained.

Mr Baah, who is the Managing Director of SHAABA Enterprises, stated this at the finals of an Inter University Debate between Valley View and the University of Ghana.

The debate organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) formed part of activities to herald the Third Constitution Week celebration.

Valley View University, which spoke for the motion: "Resolve That The Practice Of Constitutionalism In Ghana In The Past Decade Has Become Ingrained In Our Political Culture," won the debate.

Mr Baah explained "as a young democracy, our constitutional order was bound to encounter difficulties but as good citizens Ghanaians had a duty to study, know and defend the principles and its objectives so as to protect, preserve and even restore it in the unfortunate event of its overthrow."

He emphasis that the time had come for Ghanaians to be fully aware and to accept the fact that the democracy had come to stay and urged all especially the youth not to entertain any criminal abortion of the constitutional order but to strive hard to live by its tenets.

Mr Baah, who has personally funded several civic education programmes, expressed concern about the acute logistical problem facing the NCCE and called for support to ensure that the message of democracy and constitutionalism was spread across the country.

He reminded businessmen and businesswomen that business thrived in peace, stability and justice and appealed to them to support civic education clubs in second cycle schools to raise the civic awareness of the youth.

The Reverend Dr G. Asafo, Vice President of the Valley View University, called on NCCE to organise more debate on the Constitution to generate interest and create awareness on constitutional issues.