Ceremonial presidency and a second chamber parliament

Aims and objectives;
1 DEVOLUTION OF POWER
(a) Presidency - Ceremonial
(b) Council of State – Second Chamber –Representing the State
(c) Primary chamber parliament – Premier and Government
2 COMPULSORY NATIONAL SERVICE.
Ceremonial Presidency:

Firstly, a constitution is the blueprint of a society. It defines our structure, our essential rules and beliefs. It enshrines our culture and who and what we think we are. Therefore, the structure of a society is always determined by the strength of its constitution.

Secondly, a constitution ideally should be an inspirational work, particularly in its declaration that seeks to not just operate as a procedural execution of function but as a call to history itself. Developed democracies world wide created constitutions and customized them to suit their sociological, cultural and traditional behaviour to guarantee sustainable system of government under law for security, liberty and growth. Ghana deserves better and must tag along the methodology of these democracies to craft our objectives including INDIRECTLY electing our leaders.

The wisdom in the 1992 that allowed referendum to be conducted when it comes to issues regarding entrenched provisions must be much applauded. It is very imperative today than ever for the people of Ghana to consider to undergo a referendum of a such NOW to allow for shared responsibility in pursuing democratic dispensation without rumpus, chaos, anarchy and dissatisfaction that has a tendency to mar our young democracy which we tirelessly fought for. With multiple alternatives in adhering to democratic principles of governance, the people of Ghana have nothing to loss if we opt for a more condensing one than to uphold one that is fraught with anxieties, daunting and obnoxious. It holds the nation to ransom.

It had been and continues to be the common practice of successful democracies around the world today not to directly elect their heads of state, governments or presidents and their constitutions has had time to remain sturdy after turmoil’s, recession, chaos and anarchy. Can Ghana be any different?

In considering good constitutionalism, social security, economic and political stability for the people of Ghana, our political structure shall then remain one of all inclusiveness that shall tie in all stake holders in the formation of political institutions.

Traditional rulers, established organizations and institutions shall be the core bases of the nation’s political bedrock. These shall serve as the bases of serene political scenes for the purpose of fair play among politicians and political parties without rancour.

To INDIRECTLY elect a Ceremonial President for the Republic of Ghana, Safe Democracy qualifies the President of the National House of Chiefs as the automatic Ceremonial President of the Republic to be endorsed by the Supreme Council of Eminence. (Act of building institutions and not personalities). We should note that, the President of the National House of Chiefs and other executives of the House are elected by the constituents of the House. The constituents of the National House of Chiefs are nominated members from the Regional Houses of Chiefs throughout Ghana. Every Regional House of Chiefs comprises paramount chiefs of the said political region and has an elected president from within themselves. Paramount Chiefs are citizens of the Traditional Councils from where they were sworn in as Paramount Chiefs and Heads of the Traditional Councils. These heads of traditional councils are the Custodians of the land that makes Ghana. They are sworn in to officiate as Paramount Chiefs by kingmakers who are also prominent and eminent people from the Traditional Council.

Term of office for the President of the National House of Chiefs is four years renewable only once. Several Paramount chiefs from various regions of Ghana have ascended to the throne and now, the occupant is Naa Professor Nabila of the Northern Region of Ghana. This has been the tradition of succession at the National House of Chiefs.

The people of Ghana must consider this type of a Ceremonial Presidency with appreciation as it stands to give hope that every region of Ghana would once upon a time have a feel of Ceremonial Presidency with all the cultural veneration and traditional showmanship around them for the purpose of deepening Ghanaian culture and tradition.

Being one of the Most Revered Institution of this country and as the 1992 Republican Constitutions seeks to address, the Traditional Rulers shall remain Statesmen at all times and would be a symbol of the State of Ghana. They shall remain above partisan politics.

INTEGRITY COMMISSION, THE SECOND CHAMBER PARLIAMENT

Members of the integrity commission shall represent the State of Ghana in act and practice The lack of integrity commission in Ghana since she was born in 1957; gave politicians a field day with the fate of Ghanaian (electorates and non-electorates) citizens at their disposal causing unbelievable mistrust, bitterness, vilification, political mischief vendetta, arrogance and capricious behaviour of some political scenes which has timid consequences.

More so since Ghana moved back stealthily in constitutional rule in 1993, the infractions in the major political parties (intra and inter party) is alarming. ,churning war messages and the threat to peace and stability during political seasons, the drift from policy based campaigning and the lean toward tribalism, ethnicity, regionalism during election seasons, the supposition of every national issue into a political gist, showing arrogance and opulence whilst in government and inflaming tensions, passions and mistrust whilst outside government, , the increasing animosity that keeps creeping in the body politics between and among politicians and their respective political parties is a glaring threats to peace that could only be stopped by system shift.

The other culture the Honourable Members of Parliament have left to bare since the inception of the 1993 constitution is the “non-disagreement pact” when it comes to their salaries, emoluments and benefits of themselves and the Executive President. It rouses ill feeling towards politicians and their cronies; consequently affecting democracy, the bedrock of economic and social progress which we have sought to pursue.

It should be recalled that lack of integrity commission in the previous constitutions we had practised botched Ghana’s growth in constitutionalism and that we cannot but seek for a referendum to amend the constitution to allow for Ceremonial President in the person of the President of the National House of Chiefs who doubles as the head of the custodians of the land that makes Ghana, a Senate to represent the State of Ghana and curb and mediate the conduct of political parties and politicians for the growth of democracy in Ghana and a Prime Minister to head the government.

The South Korean constitutional history is one system Ghanaians must be aware of while that of Malaysia should be a hauler. The whole of the Western Europe in exception of France practice Ceremonial Presidency with their kingdoms intact.

THE POWERS OF THE STATE

Transparency in national affairs for better results works efficiently when institutions from different background are conjoined to achieve an objective.
Powers arrogated to the Executive President in the 1992 constitution and the Forth Republican Parliament should be diffused (devolution of powers) between the Primary Chamber Parliament representing the commoners whiles the Second Chamber Parliament, representing the State.

The Council of State of today shall be replaced with the Second Chamber Parliament. The Second Chamber Parliament shall be responsible, among other things, the National Development Commission. Political parties and their members of parliament shall craft their manifestoes and development plans from the master plan of the National Development Commission.

Honourable members of the Lower House representing political parties shall generate bills for the purpose of deliberation and enacting them into law. Both houses would then deliberate the bills. Approval of the bill by the second chamber shall have the Ceremonial President give his accent and attest to it to become law. Ghana’s democracy will then have a feel of the CHECK AND BALANCES scheme, the bedrock systems democracies have applied to win the gains of constitutionality, liberty, positive progress and stability in governance.

Members of the Second Chamber representing the State shall be made up of the Presidents of the Regional Houses of Chiefs and shall include but not limited to representatives each from organizations and established institutions of eminence in Ghana; Ghana Bar Association, Teachers Association, Medical Association, Transport Association, Christian Council, Muslims council, Former Inspectors Generals of Police, Chiefs of Defence Staff, Chambers of Trade and Commerce, Engineers, Bankers and many other organizations worthy of eminence to the second chamber shall contribute a member each to make up the institution. It must be noted once again that, once upon a time, the Ceremonial President of this Republic could have served as a member of the Second Chamber of Parliament. (Like the United States of America, most of their Presidents were once Senators).

Government of Ghana

Political parties devoid of tribalism, ethnicity and regionalism shall continue to strive and contest general elections on the bases of ideologies for which they were established. Prospective members of parliament through out Ghana, through a popular vote system shall contest election on the ticket of their respective political parties in their constituencies to win a seat in the lower parliament to serve for a period of term.

To serve the interest of their constituents and their political parties, elected members of parliament shall generate bills to be considered for deliberations and possible passage by both legislatures. The Political Party with the highest number of elected members of parliament in the Lower Parliament forms the government.

The Prime Minister

The Majority leader in Parliament therefore assumes the contractual obligation of Chief Executive Officer of the country; the Prime Minister. Coalitions are formed when the quorum required to form the government falls below the required percentage.

The Prime Minister and his team shall serve in the name of the Ceremonial President who is naturally the Head of the Custodians of the Land that makes Ghana.
Under this system, political parties would be duty-bound to work assiduously to deliver on their promises of their core campaign messages for which reason they were elected.

Since political parties would be built on ideologies and philosophies, they would then be coerced to practice same and use the philosophical methodologies of their respective political ideologies they are known with to work out their manifestoes drawn from the National Development Commission’s master plan for the general benefit of Ghanaians.

NATIONAL SERVICE
All Ghanaians youth between the ages of 17-29 shall serve a compulsory national service under the supervision and guidance of the Ghana Armed Forces for a period of term depending on one’s educational qualification and experience. Young people leaving school in their teen years, either by graduating or dropping out, create societal disadvantages.

Military service instils in recruits an understanding of responsibility and sacrifice from working for a greater cause in unison with fellow citizens. The result is a greater sense of national unity and integration between races and economic classes. The military has always provided a valuable place for those with less resource at their disposal to gain important skills.

Those with a military background are more competitive in the career pool and carry with them skills that can be applied to fields outside the military. Citizens of Ghana would benefit from nationalism imbued in their youth at the centre of serving Mother Ghana, while at the same time, acquiring more knowledge in their professional training which they had carry up to the National Service Centre.

Nations across the globe continue to practice compulsory national service under the guidance of the armed forces and earned tremendous economic growth to the state. More especially developing country like Ghana would have a higher boost in her economy than she had ever experience.

We would be most happy if our propositions would be compared, contrasted and debated with other constitutions of the world for a result that would guide us for ever and ever in an effort to establish a constitution devoid of rumpus and ambiguity.