Ghana: Referendum to be Held on Death Penalty, Other Laws

By Staff Writer

Ghanaians are expected to vote in a referendum on three provisions of the country's 1992 Constitution: death penalty, declaration of war by the president and a president being sworn into office before parliament by the chief justice.

Chairman of the Constitution Review Commission (CRIC) Professor Emmanuel V.O. Dankwa, announced in Koforidua that the referendum would be held sooner.

Danwa revealed this while addressing the first regional stakeholder briefing of the CRIC on the recommendations for amendments of the Constitution, June 21.

The three issues are among the entrenched clauses of the Constitution that the Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) have penciled out for amendment, after consultations with stakeholders following submission of inputs from the public to the Constitution Review Commission (CRC).

The proposed amendments will see the death penalty replaced by life imprisonment; declaration of war by the president subjected to parliamentary approval within 72 hours; and the president being sworn into office by a high court judge.

Indications are that the referendum would be held alongside local and district assembly elections, to cut down cost and at least 40% of the total voting population are expected to take part.

Other recommendations for amendment under the entrenched clauses are that the prerogative of mercy in offences such as high treason, armed robbery, murder and narcotic related offences would no longer be reserved for the president, but will be determined by an independent committee.

Many African countries have scrapped away death penalty from there constitutions, replacing it with life imprisonment, mean while Kenya is seeking to do away with life sentence penalty to only a maximum of 25years with prospects of early parole, as a way of encouraging rehabilitation of prisoners.