The President Must Give True Meanings To Article 34 (2) In His First State Of The Nation Address

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo in fulfillment of Article 67 of Ghana's Constitution which requires the President of the Republic of Ghana to deliver to Parliament a message on the State of the Nation at the beginning of each session of Parliament, will address the nation through Parliament tomorrow. While expectations of some Ghanaians on the President’s address tomorrow are high, Insurance Marketer Edgar Wiredu has charged the President to give meanings to the provisions of the constitution by telling the good people of Ghana the real state of the nation.

Speaking with Bright Kwesi Asempa on Onua Fm morning show ‘Yen Nsem Pa’ the Insurance Marketer opined that “State of the Nation Address over the years, has become a major rhetoric and regurgitation of campaign and manifesto promises. All the Presidents who have appeared before the House go on the same tangent, using the whole hours at their disposals repeating what they (Presidents) had told the electorate on their political platforms, is that what the constitution say”

Article 34 (2) of the 1992 constitution states that “the President shall report to Parliament at least once a year all the steps taken to ensure the realization of the policy objectives contained in this Chapter and, in particular, the realization of basic human rights, a healthy economy, the right to work, the right to good health care and the right to education”

With reference to the above provision of the 1992 Constitution, Edgar Wiredu maintained that over the years, various Presidents spend time reiterating their manifesto promises, leaving the citizenry in dark and not addressing the areas as outlined in the Direct Principles of State Policy which is found in the Article 32 of the constitution.

“Asempa, I can assure you that tomorrow, we will hear more campaign promises and pledges, it will all be about grammar when in fact the President should be addressing very important issues affecting ordinary Ghanaians. They are all guilty of that and I will not be surprised when Nana Addo appears tomorrow reiterating campaign promises. It is time our Presidents do as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution” Edgar Wiredu asserted.

He therefore called on the President to avoid repeating what various past Presidents are guilty of but to tell the good people of Ghana the real state of the country.