The Member of Parliament for Akuapem South, O.B. Amoah has explained that the process to amend the Constitutional Instrument for general elections to be held on first Monday of November may not take 30 days with the Council of State.
After the First Reading in Parliament on Tuesday, June 28, it was referred to the Council of State for its input. The constitution mandates the Council of State to do this within 30 days before it is sent back to Parliament for the Second reading.
There are concerns that the delay in starting the whole process may make it impossible for the elections on November 7.
Explaining the process on 3FM’s Sunrise morning show, O.B. Amoah said: “The constitution says within 30 days and not in 30 days so it can even take only a day or a week.”
The Akuapem South MP says when the bill comes back to Parliament, it would be referred to the Constitution and Legal Committee of the House for members to deliberate on it within a maximum of three months.
The report would then be sent to Parliament for the second reading where the House will debate the bill, he explained.
The House will then debate the rationale behind the bill. But for the bill to be passed, two-thirds of the House must agree. The Akuapem South MP says even at this stage, two-thirds of the House should agree to go ahead with the bill before it is moved to the Consideration Stage. The consideration stage is for members to propose amendments and deletions.
The third reading stage sees the bill being passed by a resolution. This again should be agreed by two-thirds of the Members of Parliaments.
By Shirley Ewurama Smith/3FM, 92.7/3news.com
