Prez. Mills and Vice Prez. Mahama in a group photograph with Akenten Appiah-Menkah (left), Prof. Albert Fiadjoe (4th left), Rev. Prof. SK Adjepong (2nd right) and Mrs. Sabina Ofori-Boateng. Behind them are: Dr. Raymond Atuguba, Osbarima Kwesi Atta, Naa Alhaji Iddrisu Abu,Nicholas Amponsah, Gabriel Scot Pwamang and Mrs. Jean Menasah.
Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com
BY William Yaw Owusu
Wednesday March 2, 2011.
The National Constitution Review Conference kicked off at the Accra International Conference Center yesterday but the colourful opening ceremony was marred by abrupt electricity power failure.
Professor Albert Fiadjoe, Chairman of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) was mid-way into his speech when the whole room was plunged into total darkness at exactly 10:38 am generating murmurings.
Security details of President John Evans Atta Mills quickly cordoned off the dais where the President and the Commissioners sat and it took about eight minutes for power to be restored.
After more than a year of consultations towards possible review of the 1992 Republican Constitution, the CRC is concluding its activities with the five-day conference to deliberate on issues in the constitution that have come up for review.
The conference will serve as platform to table over 80,000 submissions received and processed by the commission; make use of experts to assist the conference to arrive at solutions and options for constitutional redesign, relate national experiences and issues with international best practices as well as build consensus around issues tabled for discussion at the conference.
The opening ceremony was attended by dignitaries including Vice President John Dramani Mahama, Former President JJ Rawlings and his partner, the Speaker of Parliament Mrs. Joyce Bamford Addo, Chief Justice Georgina Wood, Minsiters of State, Parliamentarian religious leaders, diplomats and a lot more.
However, Prof. Fiadjoe told the gathering that former President J.A. Kufuor and his Vice, Alhaji Aliu Mahama had informed the commission that they were travelling but said they had assured him that they will be present for the closing ceremony.
Opening it, President Mills said the 1992 Constitution has served the served the country to its ability but as the country’s democracy grows “there is the need to give weight to the Constitution.”
He said there was the need to “re-engineer”, “reshape”, “fill the lacuna” to make the constitution “responsive to the exigencies of our time”.
President Mills thanked the commission for “the excellent work” saying they had been non-partisan and were able to devise strategies that ensured wide and broad consultations.
He commended Ghanaians for participating massively in the exercise and said it had afforded the opportunity to many to speak up adding “this should lead us to build consensus.”
The President also thanked development partners including UNDP, British High Commission, and DANIDA for their contribution towards the success of the exercise.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Fiadjoe dispelled rumours that their task was to re-write the constitution and also said the commission had not usurped the work of Parliament saying the 1992 Constitution is resilient.
He said there was nothing wrong for the executive arm of government to initiate the move for constitutional reforms.
He said criticisms they faced “sharpened our mind and focus,” and added that the commission was able to assert its independence in their work.
Prof. Fiadjoe said there was the need to review the constitution judging from the overwhelming submissions received by the commission.
He said the commission was able to live above reproach by working within the confines of their terms of reference.
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