Constitution Review Commission dissolved

Accra, Aug 14, GNA – The Constitution Review Commission (CRC) was officially dissolved on Tuesday after completing its two year mandate of conducting a consultative review of the operation of the 1992 Constitution.

The CRC was set up by a Constitutional Instrument 2010 (C.I.) 64 as a Commission of Inquiry to conduct a consultative review of the Constitution by the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

The Commission's three prong mandate was to ascertain from the people of Ghana, their views on the operation of the 1992 Constitution and help identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Constitution; articulate the concerns of the people of Ghana as regards the amendments that may be required for a comprehensive review of the 1992 Constitution; and make recommendations to the Government for consideration and provide a draft Bill for possible amendments to the 1992 Constitution.

Announcing the official dissolution of the Commission at the end of a two day Media Engagement on the Report of the CRC and the Government White Paper on the report, the Chairman Professor Albert K. Fiadjoe described the work of the Commission as an important feat.

He explained that the work of the Commission was nothing more than good housekeeping…“just as in the case of individuals, it is important to take stock of the past and plan for the future, so it is with the Nation.

The Review, he said, provided a platform for the people of Ghana to express opinions on the fundamental law which governs their lives.

He used the occasion to express the profound gratitude of the members to the Office of the President, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Department for providing logistical, human and financial resources to the commission.

The CRC also commended its Executive Secretary, Mr Raymond A. Atuguba and the staff of the secretariat as well as all individuals, institutions and organizations that supported the review process.

The nine member Commission was included Prof. Albert K. Fiadjoe, Chair; Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, Kumbun-Naa Yiri II, Naa Alhaji Iddirisu Abu, Mr Akenten Appiah-Menka, and Mrs Sabina Ofori-Boateng.

The rest were the Very Reverend Prof Samuel K. Adjepong, Dr Nicholas Amponsah, Mr Gabriel Pwamang and Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa.

Major activities undertaken by CRC includes District and Community Level Consultations; Specialized Consultations with Identifiable Groups; Diaspora Consultations in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivoire, Libya, Botswana, USA, Netherlands, Canada, Italy and UK.

The Commission finally held a National Constitution Review Conference before submitting the Final Report to the late President John Evans Atta Mills on December 20th, 2011.

GNA