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GhanaWeb
November 21, 2003
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=47070
Go to Court for redress
- Papa Owusu-Ankomah
Accra, Nov. 21, GNA - Papa Owusu-Ankomah,
Minister of Justice and Attorney General, on Thursday urged aggrieved persons to
seek legal means for redress instead of resorting to instant justice.
He urged Ghanaians to avail themselves of lawful avenues of adjudication
provided under the Constitution to seek redress.
"Any attempt to use means outside of the constitutionally mandated process
to enforce what is right amounts to vigilantism and also a threat to the
Constitution itself as it can lead to physical conflict".
Papa Owusu-Ankomah was speaking at the 44th Founder's Week celebrations of the
Ghana Academy of Arts and Science in Accra on the general theme "National
Integration".
Fellows of the Academy, Journalists, the public and students from PRESEC Legon
attended the symposium, which was chaired by Professor Emeritus Joseph Henry
Kwabena Nketia, Fellow of the Academy.
The Attorney General said: "If we want to deepen democratic values in our
country using the Constitution as a guide, then we must recognise that the only
legitimate mode of enforcing a right available under the Constitution,
particularly if that right is disputed by any person or authority is through the
court".
Speaking on "The Constitution, Governance and Political Tolerance,"
Papa Owusu-Ankomah said good governance requires an understanding that the
Constitution recognises and imposes on us a responsibility to tolerate divergent
or contrary views.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah said to build a culture of constitutionalism, good governance
and political tolerance, leaders must recognise that "in the shifting sands
of democracy," opponents today on one issue can become bedfellows on other
issues tomorrow.
"We must individually resolve to live and let live not only because it is
the democratic constitutional governance to blossom and flourished."
Professor John Kaburise, Vice Chancellor of the University for Development
Studies (UDS), who spoke on "National Integration and Nation
Building," said central to national integration is the uneven distribution
of national cake.
He said "the first-past-the post system" of multi-party democracy does
not promote national integration as a substantial proportion of the population
is 'shut out' of the real processes of policy-formulation and revenue sharing
for long periods.
During the period when people are 'shut out' the tendency is to be disengaged
from meaningful inclusiveness and to be pre-occupied with efforts at securing
exclusivity.
Prof. Kaburise suggested the adoption of one of the varieties of proportional
representation in a government of National Unity, while the process of
decentralization is accelerated with meaningful devolution of financial
resources and responsibility. GNA
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