The Council of State has advised against the passage of the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2025, Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has announced.
The private member’s bill, sponsored by the Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, seeks to remove constitutional restrictions that prevented dual citizens from occupying certain public offices.
He has consequently referred the bill to Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Committee for consideration and a report to the House.
Delivering a formal statement in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Bagbin said the bill predated the Ninth Parliament, having first been introduced in 2022.
According to him, when the bill was initially laid before Parliament, the Council of State advised the House to proceed with the constitutional process to effect the proposed amendment in accordance with the Constitution.
Following that advice, the bill was referred to the Constitutional and Legal Committee, which considered it and presented a report to Parliament for debate.
However, Mr Bagbin explained that the bill lapsed upon the dissolution of the Eighth Parliament and was subsequently reintroduced in the Ninth Parliament after being reviewed by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.
He said the reintroduced bill was again referred to the Council of State for consideration and advice, adding that it advised against its passage this time round.
Although Mr Bagbin did not disclose the reasons for the Council’s position, he said it was important to guide both the Constitutional and Legal Committee and Parliament on the constitutional issues raised.
“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.
Mr Bagbin also pledged Parliament’s support for President John Dramani Mahama’s directive designating Friday and Saturday as National Cleaning Days in areas affected by the recent flooding.
He therefore announced that parliament would not be conducting business on Friday to allow for MPs to actively participate and mobillise their constituents to join in the clean-up exercise.
The Speaker further directed the relevant parliamentary committees to continue their oversight work and collaborate with the appropriate institutions to examine the underlying causes of the country’s perennial flooding, assess existing policy and legislative interventions, and make recommendations.
The committees include Environment; Local Government and Rural Development; Works and Housing; Sanitation; Health; and Disaster Management and Climate Resilience.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
