Witchcraft bill was officially presented to Akufo-Addo on Monday – Presidency clarifies “delay” in assenting to bill

President Akufo-Addo has dismissed claims that he’s delaying in assenting to the passage of the Criminal Offences (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2023 popularly known as the Witchcraft bill.

This bill, aimed at amending the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), includes provisions to outlaw the roles of witch doctors or witch-finders and prohibits the act of declaring, accusing, naming, or labeling an individual as a witch, among other related matters.

It will be recalled that during parliamentary proceedings on Monday, November 27, 2023, members of the Minority Caucus and the Speaker of Parliament had cause to accuse the President of breaching the 1992 constitution by failing to assent to the bill months after its passage by the legislature.

“So clearly Mr. Speaker there is a constitutional breach and this house must take steps to deal with the constitutional breach that we have seen and the criminal amendment bill and the witchcraft accusation bill.”

“And Mr. Speaker it’s important that we take steps to deal with that. And the Constitution guides us as to what we have to do if the president fails to assent to bills that have been approved by this house,” the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said.

The Speaker in turn, rebuked President Akufo-Addo over his supposed ‘silence’ on the Bill.

It has however emerged that, the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2023 together with the Wildlife Resources Management Bill, 2023, and the National Petroleum Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 were officially presented to the President on Monday, November 27, 2023, the same day the Speaker and the House lambasted him for delaying in the assent of the bill.

A letter in the possession of newsalertgh and signed by a Deputy Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, dispatched eight copies each of the three bills to the presidency for assent on Monday.

It’s unclear the exact time the letter, addressed to the Executive Secretary to the President, was received, even though the Presidency acknowledged receipt of it on the same day (Monday, November 27, 2023) that it was transmitted.

Commenting on this development, the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, questioned the rationale behind rants by the legislature “when it was officially presented to him on Monday, 27th November 2023, the same day the Speaker made the accusation?”

The statement confirmed the authenticity of the letter intercepted by newsalertgh.

“Indeed, 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, under cover of a letter dated 27th November 2023, with reference PS/CS/112/826.”

He therefore clarified that “it is, thus, wholly inaccurate that the Bill has been sitting on the desk of the President without receiving due attention.”

“President Akufo-Addo is mindful of Article 106 (7) of the Constitution, which affords the President seven (7) 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 dated Tuesday, November 28, 2023, added.

Source:newsalertgh