President hasn’t refused assent to bill — Presidency
The Office of the President at the Jubilee House has described as inaccurate claims by the Speaker of Parliament and the Minority Caucus that President Akufo-Addo has refused to assent to the Criminal Offences (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2023.
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It assured the public and the media that bills, including this current bill, the Criminal Offences (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2023, were being attended to with the utmost respect for constitutional mandates and legislative processes.
A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Bentum Arhin, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was mindful of Article 106 (7) of the Constitution, which affords the President seven days to review and give his assent to any bill presented to him.
” In light of this constitutional provision, it is important to note that the President is still well within the legally stipulated timeframe to make a decision regarding the Bill,” the statement added and enclosed the cover letter dated November 27, 2023, from the Office of the Speaker to it.
It pointed out that the bill was officially presented to the President for his assent, together with the Wildlife Resources Management Bill, 2023 and National Petroleum Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023, with a covering letter dated November 27, 2023, with reference PS/CS/112/826.
“How could the Speaker of Parliament accuse the President of remaining silent on the Bill when it was officially presented to him on Monday, 27th November 2023, the same day the Speaker made the accusation?” it asked.
It said the Office of the President noted recent media reports suggesting that the President had declined to assent to the Criminal Offences (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2023 (the “Bill”), a legislative measure aimed at amending the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
It said indeed, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, was reported to have “rebuked Akufo-Addo over his ‘silence’ on the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill” last Monday.
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It stressed that contrary to the claims made by the Speaker of Parliament and the Minority Caucus in Parliament, President Akufo-Addo had not remained silent on the bill.
The statement said it was important to state, at the outset, that the amendment was specifically designed to outlaw the roles of witch doctors or witch-finders, in addition to prohibiting the act of declaring, accusing, naming or labelling an individual as a witch, alongside other related matters.
The statement explained that within the seven-day constitutional period for the President to go through the bill, he was allowed to examine it thoroughly and, if necessary, convey any concerns or suggestions he might have regarding its content to Parliament.