The Member of Parliament for Tamale South Constituency, Haruna Iddrisu, has raised concern over the delay in President Nana Akuffo Addo’s assent to the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2022, aimed at prohibiting witchcraft accusations.
The bill, which seeks to amend the Criminal Offences Act of 1960 to outlaw the practice of declaring, accusing, naming, or labeling someone as a witch, was passed by Parliament on July 28, 2023. However, five months later, the President has yet to give his formal approval.
Haruna Iddrisu cited Article 106 of the 1992 Constitution, which stipulates that a bill should receive the President’s assent within 14 days of passage by Parliament. Expressing his displeasure, he emphasized that any delay in this process would constitute an unconstitutional act and a breach of the Constitution.
In response, the leader of government business, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, acknowledged the delay but explained that fundamental issues had been identified in the bill after its passage. He informed the President of these errors, leading to a planned discussion between the President and the Speaker.
However, logistical challenges arose as the Speaker was unavailable when the President was ready to address the concerns. Furthermore, the President’s subsequent travels added to the obstacles in resolving the matter promptly. Mensah Bonsu asserted that the delay was not intentional but a consequence of these unforeseen circumstances.
In light of these explanations, Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin highlighted the importance of following the due process. He expressed dissatisfaction with the President’s decision to cite issues with the bill without adhering to the established procedures for addressing such concerns.
Speaker Bagbin further stressed the significance of following parliamentary procedures in the legislative process by ordering the Anti-Witchcraft Bill to be removed from the order paper until the appropriate actions were made to address the issues that were found.
