Remove Compensation Clauses That Do Not Serve the National Interest – Rawlings

General News on Tuesday, June 4th, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-06-04

Former President Jerry John Rawlings called for an urgent review of the country's constitution to remove clauses that protect high-level political actors from prosecution and accountability.

During a speech at the 40th anniversary parade of the June 4th uprising in Nungua on Tuesday, Rawlings said there were too many compensation clauses that do not serve the national interest in the country. the Constitution.

"Over the years, the indemnification clauses have encouraged some characters to abuse their functions and take advantage of them. The constitution of the Fourth Republic was created by us, for us and to serve us, and in the light of 25 years, there is an unqualified need to reform or rewrite our present constitution. An urgent constituent badembly should be created with the necessary powers to rewrite the constitution. "

"The constitution of the Fourth Republic was created by us, for us and to serve us, and in the light of the 25 years, there is an unqualified need to reform or rewrite our current constitution," said the president. former president.

Mr. Rawlings, for example, described the transitional provisions as problematic clauses stipulating that indemnification clauses must be removed to guarantee the equality of all before the law.

Section 34 of the transitional provisions of the 1992 Constitution guarantees all coup makers and their officials of all responsibility for acts and omissions committed during their illegitimate administration.

Clause 1 of Article 34 of the 1992 Constitution states that:

"No member of the Provisional Council of National Defense, Secretary of the Provisional Council of National Defense or member of the Provisional Council of National Defense can be held jointly or individually responsible for any act or omission committed during the management of the Provisional Council of National Defense. National Defense."

Call for self-discipline

Mr. Rawlings also said that the key to Ghana's development is increased self-discipline in everything we do.

"Let's all have a full introspection and identify the gaps, because we all miss one way or another," he urged.

"Our current sense of self-discipline is at its lowest. Citizens do not feel responsible enough to keep their homes and communities clean. Many of us who are lamenting about floods during the rainy season are very guilty of the indiscretions that led to the deadly floods. We reject waste indiscriminately and wonder why the drains are choked. Some see the rains as an opportunity to throw garbage, believing that rainwater will carry them away. If we maintain this level of anarchy, we will be required to deal with more serious flood disasters. "

The founder of the NDC urged all Ghanaians to remember the discipline that characterized June 4 and to reproduce it everywhere.

He said, "If we do not develop a national character for good, sustainable governance, we would have failed this generation and especially the generations to come. Is this the legacy we want to leave in the future?