The founder and leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Mr. Akwasi Addai Odike has made passionate appeal to electorates to consider voting him to the highest office of the land so that corruption in government will end in no time.
“Our Constitution is not cast in concrete and stone and I am advocating for constitutional amendment so to stop corruption activities under my presidency”, he spoke on Kumasi-based Nhyira FM morning show monitored by Ghanawish.com
According to the 2016 UPP flagbearer, the architectural design of the 1992 Constitution is embodiment of corruption for any Executive President to perpetrate with ease.
“Everything bothers on the Executive President so anyone in power can choose to do what he or she likes”, Mr. Odike told the host of ‘Kroyi Mu Nsem’ political talk show, Aduanaba Kofi Asante Enning.
The 2016 presidential candidate of UPP therefore, suggested “we should strip of some of the powers of the President to end the impunity that goes on in the country currently”.
“The Constitution should not be in a way that will protect some persons 100%. The indemnities clause must be removed to make us all equal before the law”, Mr. Kwasi Addai Odike said.
It would be recalled the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin also raised similar concerns in times past calling for the powers of the executive to be curtailed if the country is truly committed to pursuing democracy to the latter.
Even though, Ghana has been touted as one of the pacesetters of true democratic practices on the African Continent, some authorities believe flaws in the country’s constitution leaves much to be desired.
According to Deputy Speaker of Parliament, too much power has been vested in the President who has executive powers to take decisions making their positions since the beginning of the fourth republic look like ‘elected dictators’.
He proposes that there is an urgent need for constitutional reforms to scrap off some of the powers of the President if the country is indeed committed to practicing true democracy.
“Natural practice, we have elected dictators. That is what we have set up in the constitution. There is no difference between them and the military leaders”, he disclosed in an address to Students’ Parliament at the University of Education, Winneba- Kumasi campus, on the theme, ‘Parliamentary democracy in Ghana- a practitioner perspective
