The Akufo-Addo led government does not intend to extend its constitutional stay in office in the event the novel Coronavirus prevents the holding of the upcoming presidential election, the Information Minister, Kojo Nkrumah, has clarified.
According to him, if for nothing at all, the government is not planning to hide behind the plague, Coronavirus, to seek an extension of its first term mandate without a credible election.
Yesterday, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah seized the opportunity at his sector’s series of briefings to clear the air on the matter, which has ignited a perpetual flame of commentaries.
The media landscape has been inundated with theories from Archology to Zoology on the alternative, should the Coronavirus prevent this year’s elections.
Whereas some arguments have pointed out that the 1992 Constitution was not explicit on what to be done when a President’s term of office was due but elections could not be held, others opined the sitting government could extend its stay, drawing motivation from the public emergency at hand.
But, setting the records straight, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, also Member of Parliament for Ofoase/Ayerebi Constituency, said there was no such contemplation by the government whatsoever.
However, the government, he said, was of the view that energies should rather be invested in how a country like Ghana would have safe, free and fair elections.
“Government takes note of commentary suggesting that some possible governance arrangements can be appropriate if it becomes impossible to hold elections in December. Government does not contemplate any justifiable reason to seek to extend its first term constitutional mandate with the virus as an excuse, without a safe, free and fair election.
“The government is of the view that instead of contemplating measures that are not envisaged in the constitution, our best energies, our innovation and creativity should be invested in how a country like ours would have safe, free and fair elections. If countries like South Korea did it around 15th of April. If Ivory Coast and Burundi, America and Serbia are all exploring how to do this, Ghana should also expend its energy on how to do, and do so successfully,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, announced at yesterday’s press briefing that Ghana had recorded 427 new cases of the Coronavirus.
The new development brings the country’s total case count to 5,127. 277 of the new cases were recorded on May 9, 160 on May 10, and the rest on May 11, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye noted.
He further revealed that 307 of the new cases recorded were from the Ashanti Region, out of which 272 are from Obuasi, with deaths still standing at 22.
According to Dr Kuma-Aboagye, there had not been any new recoveries, but 130 people were awaiting their second test results, which would determine whether they are virus-free or not.
He said the total number of active cases was 4,611 as of Tuesday when the briefing was held.
Dr Patrick Aboagye added that 26 districts in Accra had recorded the Coronavirus cases.
Among the 26, Tema, Korle Klottey, Accra Metro and Katamanso have been identified as the hotspot areas with high numbers of recorded cases.
The post Akufo-Addo won’t stay beyond mandate appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS