Manhyia MP Cautions Mahama on Constitution Changes

Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South and Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Subsidiary Legislation Committee, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to proceed with caution when dealing with proposals for constitutional amendments.

Speaking on the JoyNews AM Show on January 5, Mr Baffour Awuah stressed that the stakes involved require measured and thoughtful action.

“I expect the president to take his time; this can result in a make-or-break situation for this country. The proposals, so the president should take his time; he should not be rushed,” he said.

He also referenced suggestions that the President could bypass certain procedural steps, cautioning against any haste.

“I have heard some people say that the president doesn’t even need to issue a white paper on it. The president should carry it through, push it to the next level for implementation in the light of these things that are coming up,” he observed.

Mr Baffour Awuah maintained that the proposals must be thoroughly assessed before any move towards implementation.

“The president should take his time, have it reviewed, and take a position on it before forwarding it to an implementation committee, which will see to the implementation,” he added.

He further warned that unfolding developments demand restraint and careful judgement.

“In the light of some of these things that are coming up, we have to be careful,” he said.

His comments follow the submission of the Prof H.K.P. Committee report, which recommends amendments to Article 66(1) of the 1992 Constitution to extend the presidential term from four to five years.

The report also proposes changes to Article 290 to remove the entrenched status of Article 66(1), which currently falls under the entrenched provisions in Chapter 8 of the Constitution dealing with the Executive.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE