The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has strongly disagreed with President Akufo-Addo’s decision not to assent to the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill and Ghana Armed Forces Amendment Bill.
In a fiery address to Parliament, Mr Bagbin accused the President of being “tragically wrong” and “ill-informed” in his rationale for rejecting the bills.
President Akufo-Addo, in a letter, cited financial implications on the state’s consolidated fund and potential breaches of Article 108 of the Constitution as reasons for his refusal.
He specifically identified the Ghana Armed Forces Amendment Bill, sponsored by MP Francis Xavier Sosu, as having financial burdens associated with replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment.
President Akufo-Addo indicated that in consultations with the Attorney General, he was advised that the Ghana Armed Forces Amendment Bill 2023 which was a private member’s bill sponsored by the Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis Xavier Sosu seeking to replace the death penalty with a life sentence had financial implications on the consolidated fund of the state due to the associated cost of incarceration.
However, Mr. Bagbin vehemently dismissed these concerns. He asserted that the President was misguided in his assessment of the bills’ financial implications.
Meanwhile, the Majority in Parliament says the attack on the President by the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, for failing to assent to some private member’s bill is unfortunate.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu indicated that it was most unfortunate for speaker Bagbin to attack the president.
On his part, a Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s refusal to assent to the anti-witchcraft bill will hinder the country’s democracy.
President Akufo-Addo cited potential financial implications on the country’s consolidated fund as the reason behind his decision not to sign the bill.
However, Kpebu is not accepting such an excuse, deeming it inappropriate for the President to raise such concerns months after the bill’s initial passage.
Story by: Osei Akoto / Ahotoronline.com
