Broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere has questioned the rationale behind Ex-President John Dramani Mahama's promise that the NDC government will review the 1992 Constitution, particularly the emoluments of Article 71 office holders.
Speaking on his Good Evening Ghana show on Metro TV, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, the broadcaster indicated that Mahama’s promise was surprising since he never spoke about constitutional review during all the years he [Mahama] was president.
He added that the former president must explain why he failed to continue the review process started by the late Prof John Evans Atta Mills.
“Why are you (Mahama) waiting 8 years to continue it (the review process started Prof Mills) when you could have continued right when Prof Mills was buried? He (Mahama) has had four sessional addresses in parliament, no where did he talk about constitutional amendment. Why is he talking about it now?
“He can talk about it but he must acknowledge that yes, I was there but something happened and this time around I will do it. Then we are on even kill.
“But this issue of talking as if he is a new candidate, I think president Mahama’s handlers must have a better way of presenting these things because we are going to query it,” he said.
Adom-Otchere further stated that he has been talking about constitutional amendment for a long-time, particularly in the area of reducing the powers of the President of the Republic.
He added that he even appeared before the review committee set up by Prof Mills to make his case for the reduction of the powers of the president but unfortunately, the committee failed to address the issues he raised.
Meanwhile, the former President, while speaking at a meeting with NDC lawyers, assured that if the NDC is given the nod in 2024, the review process of the constitution which commenced during the period of late President Atta-Mills will continue and will deal with issues concerning the payment of ex-gratia.
“The next NDC government must commit to the implementation of the review of the 1992 Constitution, which was begun by President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory.
"This review should among others aim at reforming the judiciary and tackle head-on issues on ex-gratia payments and other matters of Article 71 emoluments,” Mahama stated.
Watch Adom-Otchere in the video below:
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