The former Chairman of Parliament’s Legal and Constitutional Committee, Inusah Fuseini says the lack of consensus between Ghana’s two major political parties in parliament has hampered attempts to amend certain portions of the 1992 Constitution.
Speaking calls to amend the constitutional provision stipulating how Electoral Commissioners are appointed, Inusah Fuseini noted that parliament has failed to amend the provision to include the house in the process, due to a lack of consensus.
According to him, the Electoral Commission ought to be elected by the president on the advice of the Public Services Commission with prior approval of parliament by a two–third’s majority, however, this amendment has failed to pass through parliament.
“The Electoral Commission is a public office. The appointment by the president on the advice of the Council of State has resulted in trust deficit in the Electoral Commission. I believe that we can cure this, and we should cure it by amending Article 43 of the Constitution, to read that the Electoral Commission shall be appointed by the president on the advice of the Public Services Commission with the prior approval of parliament by a two – third majority.
“The two – third majority requirement (if) inserted, by my proposal, will also ensure that we have a bipartisan consensus in parliament. Lack of bipartisan consensus has been the bane of the attempted or aborted amendments that have come before parliament,” he said.
The Legal Practitioner was speaking during the Joy Change – Speakers Series IV on the topic “My Case for Constitutional Review,” on JoyNews’ Newsfile.
The former MP earlier also called for the complete deletion of Article 71 from the constitution.