The Rector of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Philip Ebow Bondzi-Simpson has called for a review of the constitution to ensure the number of Parliamentary seats allocated to a region corresponds to it’s population.
He said the current situation where some regions with smaller populations rather have larger number of MPs’ is problematic and does not reflect the contribution the region to the development of Ghana.
Prof. Bondzi Simpson described the decision to set aside a day as Constitution day as a reasonable and compelling one.
This is because the 1992 constitution of the 4th republic has been Ghana’s longest and current constitution.
He made these comments when he delivered a lecture at the maiden Constitution Day in Accra.
The lecture was on the topic: Constitutionalism in Ghana’s 4th republic towards functional performance.
On December 13, 2018, the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery laid before Parliament the Public Holiday Act 2001 to be amended, to provide for three different holidays; one of which is the Constitution Day.
The bill was passed in a matter of days by Parliament, and on Jannuary 7, 2019, Ghanaians experienced the maiden Constitution Day holiday, which was commemorate with a public lecture.
Prof. Bondzi-Simpson who is a member of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Science gave an appraisal of 4th republican constitution, highlighting parts of the 1992 constitution which needs reforms.
He spoke on the disparities between the population of a region and the number of MPs allocated to it.
Prof. Bondzi-Simpson asked Ghanaians not to observe the day as just another holiday but use the day to reflect on the constitution and it’s significance to the success of the 4th Republic.
He said the commemoration of future constitution Days should not be limited to public lectures.
The Constitution day was set aside by government to recognize the coming into force of the 1992 constitution and the beginning of the 4th Republic.
In attendance were the Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye, Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and other ministers of state and Members of Parliament, (MPs’).
Story by Nathaniel Nartey
