Ghana Catholic Bishops are suggesting that government postpones the forthcoming December 17 referendum.
Catholic Standard reports that the Bishops argue there is the need for consensus-building and further education regarding the referendum.
The referendum scheduled for December 17, 2019, seeks to, among other things, amend Article 55, Clause 3 of the 1992 Constitution to enable political parties to participate in district-level elections.
Article 55 (3), is an entrenched clause, which currently bans political party activity in district-level elections, It requires a referendum and a turnout of at least 40% and over 75% voters in favor of the proposal, to amend the Article.
Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle who lead a delegation of the Catholic Bishops to the Jubilee House in Accra recently, told Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia that the current political environment is too poisoned to host the poll, hence the need for a postponement.
“We the Bishops are appealing to the Government and the Electoral Commission to postpone the Referendum since it would not cause any Constitutional crisis,” he requested.
The Catholic Bishops want the December 17 referendum decoupled from this year’s District Assembly Elections if he can’t be postponed.
They indicated that it will be expedient to postpone the referendum or decouple it from the District and Unit elections so that the local elections are not adversely affected.
The Catholic Bishops were invited by Vice-President Bawumia at the request of President Nana Akufo-Addo, who was then out of the country.
Dr. Bawumia held the meeting with them to seek their thoughts on the forthcoming referendum.
The Vice-President explained that the decision for the Referendum is because President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) want to further deepen democracy in Ghana, as stated in the Party’s 2016 Manifesto.
“Otherwise, why would someone who may like to consolidate power be interested in a referendum, when he already has the authority to appoint MMDCEs?” he quizzed.
