Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis Xavier Sosu, has accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of obstructing crucial legislation by refusing to assent to the Criminal and Other Offences (Amendment) Bill (2) also referred to as the Witchcraft Bill, the Armed Forces Amendment Bill.
The President, he said, has violated Article 106 by failing to assent to the Bills within the stipulated time frame.
He was speaking in Parliament over the failure of the President to assent to the Bills submitted to his office.
The Witchcraft Bill seeks to proscribe witchcraft accusations while the Armed Forces Amendment Bill seeks to remove the punishment of the death penalty for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
He expressed disappointment over the President’s notice stating his inability to assent to both the Armed Forces Amendment Bill and Witchcraft Bill due to constitutional issues and yet failing to mention these issues.
He said, “The Bills had undergone extensive pre-engagement discussions involving various stakeholders, and the presidency had been informed throughout the process.”
Francis Sosu emphasized that the President’s refusal to sign the Armed Forces bill, which seeks to reform the Armed Forces law significantly, is baffling, especially as the Commander in Chief of the GAF.
Addressing the President’s reference to constitutional issues as grounds for the non-assent, Sosu questioned the timing of these concerns, suggesting a deliberate effort to frustrate legislation passed by Parliament.
He argued that such a stance undermines democracy and sets a concerning precedent for future legislative efforts.
The MP also dismissed the notion that Article 108, often cited as a limit on private member’s bills, is relevant to the President’s obligation to sign bills passed by Parliament.
He emphasized that once a bill has gone through all processes and been passed into law, it is incumbent upon the executive to implement it, with financial implications being an inherent part of the legislation.
The President’s notice of non-assent to the mentioned bills has sparked debates on the administration’s commitment to human rights advancement when Ghana was recently offered a seat at the UN Human Rights Council.
