Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has declared that the Council of State has recommended against passing the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2025.
Kennedy Osei Nyarko, the member of parliament for Akim Swedru, is the sponsor of the private member’s bill, which aims to eliminate constitutional limitations that prohibited dual citizens from holding specific public positions.
As a result, he has sent the measure to the Constitutional and Legal Committee of Parliament for review and a report to the House.
Mr. Bagbin made an official statement in Parliament on Tuesday, stating that the bill was first proposed in 2022, predating the Ninth Parliament.
He claims that when the bill was first presented to Parliament, the Council of State recommended that the House move on with the constitutional procedure in order to implement the suggested amendment in compliance with the Constitution.
In response to that recommendation, the bill was forwarded to the Constitutional and Legal Committee, which reviewed it and reported back to Parliament for discussion.
Mr. Bagbin clarified that the law was reintroduced in the Ninth Parliament after being examined by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, but it expired with the dissolution of the Eighth Parliament.
He stated that the reintroduced law was once more referred to the Council of State for review and recommendation, and that this time it was advised against its passing.
Mr. Bagbin stated that it was crucial to advise Parliament and the Constitutional and Legal Committee on the constitutional problems brought up, even though he did not reveal the Council’s reasoning.
“As Speaker, it is not my role to determine the merit of the bill or to prejudge the conclusion that may ultimately be reached by the House,” Mr Bagbin said.
“Given the significance of the constitutional issues raised by the Council of State, however, and the potential implications of those issues for Parliament’s exercise of its amendment powers under Chapter 25 of the Constitution, I consider it useful to guide the Committee and the House with my understanding and appreciation of the constitutional questions raised by the advice,” he added.
Additionally, Mr. Bagbin promised that Parliament will back President John Dramani Mahama’s order to declare Friday and Saturday National Cleaning Days in communities impacted by the recent flooding.
In order to enable MPs to actively participate and mobilise their constituents to join the cleanup effort, he declared that parliament will not be in session on Friday.
The Speaker also instructed the pertinent parliamentary committees to carry out their oversight duties and cooperate with the necessary organisations to investigate the root causes of the nation’s chronic floods, evaluate current legislative and policy initiatives, and offer recommendations.
Environment, Local Government and Rural Development, Works and Housing, Sanitation, Health, and Disaster Management and Climate Resilience are among the committees.
Source: newsthemegh.com