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Ghana’s parliament should have embarked on a nationwide consultation on the proposed change in the election date from December 7 to the first Monday in November, but could not do so because the time left for the elections is short, Ben Abdallah Banda, Member of Parliament for Offinso South constituency has said.

The parliamentary select committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs is expected to hold a public forum today, Monday July 11, on the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2016. The public forum will enable the major stakeholders and general public to make presentations on the Bill.

Director of Public Affairs of parliament, Kate Addo, speaking to Class News, explained that the public forum will help come out with solutions that will best enhance Ghana’s democratic processes.

“Basically, what this public forum is about is for the committee to engage the general public, to collate their views on what their thoughts are, regarding the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2016 that is currently before parliament, which seeks to change the election date from December 7 to November 7, or, at least, first Monday of November every election year. Basically, it is to collate the views of the general public, interact with members of civil society and come out with solutions that will best enhance our democratic processes in terms of elections”, she stated.

But speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5 FM on Monday July 11, Mr Abdallah Banda, who is a member of the select committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of Parliament, said: “Ideally, we [Parliament] should have embarked on a regional tour on the bill because it concerns everybody in the country, so that we solicit everybody’s views [about] whether parliament should accept it or not.”

He continued: “[But] because of the shortness of the time to the elections, that could not happen and, so, what we have decided to do is to invite all the political parties as well as other stakeholders to solicit their views with respect to the proposed November 7 date for the elections. “After all these, the Committee will prepare a report on the consultation to the Speaker for all members of parliament to deliberate, have three readings on it and then vote on it for two-thirds of the house to accept.”