A Legal and governance luminary, Mr Isaac M. Larbi has opined that for Ghana’s democracy to further strive there is the need to amend the 1992 Constitution to ensure that election is held for certain key positions such as the Chief Justice, Inspector General of Police, Speaker of Parliament and all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives.
He explained that such positions were very critical to stimulate democracy and ensure accountable governance without political influence.
“For Ghana to achieve true democracy, the following positions should be elective; President, Speaker of Parliament, Chief Justice, Inspector General of Police, and all Chief Executives of the District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies.
“Until then, all of us will continue to wallow in political influences of these positions whether direct or indirect. There will be no true independence of these positions until they all become elected positions. We should all be striving for this,” he said.
In an interview, Mr Larbi, founder of Isaac M. Larbi and Okore Chambers said considering the teething challenges that had bedeviled Ghana’s democracy in the 25-year journey, there was the need for constitutional amendment to give power to the people to elect occupants of certain key positions to enable them function satisfactorily without fear, favour or political control to deepen the democracy of the country and facilitate development.
Source: Daily Heritage
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Every body in Ghana is described as a luminary. How can a Chief Justice be voted for? Give us one example in any country on this planet earth in which the Chief Justice is voted for in an election? These days people just wake up in the morning still in a dreamy state and they begin to make all sort of weird propositions. Does Mr. Larbi want to contest for the position of CJ or what?
Aaabai! but the Speaker is elected so what's ur beef?
I DISAGREE THEY HAVE TO BE ELECTED. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE AFFILIATIONS AND WILL PANDER TO SOME SENTIMENTS WHICH WILL GO AGAINST THE ETHOS AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE JOB. IN MY OPINION ALL THESE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED BY PSEUDO POLITICIANS AND THE PROCESSES THAT PLACED THEM IN THOSE POSITIONS ARE AKIN TO ELECTION OR SUBJECT TO ELECTIONS. NOW HOW I BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD GET THOSE POSITIONS ARE THAT THOSE WHO WANT TO OCCUPY THOSE POSTS SHOULD APPLY WITH AN UP TO DATE CV AND SOME RECOGNIZED BODIES (NOT PARLIAMENT BECAUSE IT IS TOO POLITICAL) VET AND APPOINT THEM. THESE BODIES WILL HAVE TO BE DIVERSE ENOUGH SO THAT THEY CANNOT BE UNDER THE WHIMS OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY OR IDEOLOGY. THE QUESTION PEOPLE WILL ASK IS WHICH BODIES? WE HAVE THE HOUSES OF CHIEFS AND QUEEN MOTHERS, GPRTU, CHRISTIAN COUNCIL, MUSLIM COUNCIL, NAGRAT, DIPLOMATIC CORPS AND SO ON. MY IDEA IS THAT IS A DIVERSE BODY APPOINTS PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS, IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THAT PERSON TO BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP. I BELIEVE THAT MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS WILL RAISE AN EYEBROW BUT FROM WHERE WE EMANATE FROM ON THESE APPOINTMENTS I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO BE BOLD AND DEPART FROM OUR FAILURES AND BE RADICAL TO THIS END. EVEN THE LOGISTICS CAN BE WORKED OUT IF WE CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE WASTE AS A COUNTRY. I BELIEVE THE AUDITOR GENERAL SHOULD ALSO BE APPOINTED IN SUCH A MANNER AND THEIR TERM OF OFFICE SHOULD BE ASSURED.
Thank you for such a wonderful advice.