Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has called for the immediate amendment of the constitution with respect to the Composition of the Council of State to reflect the current situation of Ghana having 16 regions.
He said as it stands now the new regions do not have representation on the Council of State which is a breach of the Constitution which states that each region should have a representation on the Council.
Speaking at a forum with Civil Society Organisations organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said there are so many aspects of the constitution that need amendment.
Mr. Osei Bonsu said corruption has again begun creeping into the country’s body politic because of the way parties elect their MPs and the way internal party politics is conducted. He said excessive monetisation of the country’s politics spells doom because those with the financial muscles without capacity will capture the political space.
The Ranking Member on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini said the stakes are high ahead of the December elections because it is the first time a Former President is contesting a sitting President in Ghana. He said Civil Society Organisations have a huge responsibility in ensuring that the elections are held in an atmosphere of peace, fair and transparent manner.
Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Democratic Governance, Kwasi Jonah, said tension ahead of the December elections is building and all must ensure that the contest is free and fair.
He said tensions are high because the sitting President does not want to go down as a one term President while the former President will not lose a second time.
