加纳东部地区阿索格利州的国王大酋长（Agbogbomefia），十四世·托比·阿菲德阁下（Togbe Afede XIV）呼吁审视 1992 年宪法的某些调理额，以满足国家的发展愿望。

托比阁下说，修正案应减少总统的权力，修改赔偿条款，限制部委，选区等的数量。这也将加强独立的宪法机构，使它们在促进善政和发展方面更加强大。

托比阁下也是一名投资银行家，是迦纳术略集团（SIL）董事长。他在12月8日发表的一份长达 14 页的声明中发出了这一呼吁，题为 “我们自己造成的巨大经济危机。”

这位受人尊敬的传统统治者发出了这样的声音，加纳精英和法律界人士也呼吁改革宪法的各个方面，以符合当下的紧迫性。

阿索格利传统地区的领袖托比阁下指出：“例如，总统过度的权力，及确保他不能被追究责任的特殊条款，那鼓励滥用权力，是我国腐败的根源。事实上，我们总统任命了数千个职位，并可以随意解雇，这是我们机构政治化和软弱化的主要原因。”

托比阁下指出，上述问题和挑战是加纳许多宪法机构实际上混蛋的结果，例如，议会效率非常低下，而司法机构被认为是政治化的，导致不信任。

他说，这些都助长了混乱和有毒的政治环境的形成。

“许多人对法院失去信心，对他们在权利受到践踏时确保正义的能力失去了信心。当议会同时软弱无力时，自由和正义变得岌岌可危，完全嘲弄我们的民主。“他说。

“许多其他机构也让我们失望，它们因失去独立性而被削弱，对国家发展产生不利影响。国务委员会、选举委员会、国家媒体委员会、公共服务委员会、人权和行政司法委员会、国家公民教育委员会、土地委员会，甚至军队、警察部门和酋长都变得政治化了。”

我们可以扭转局面

托比阁下指出，加纳有能力扭转目前所处的经济形势，这给许多公民带来了痛苦：“所需的资源就在这里。我们可以通过一个大胆的令人信服的愿景来做到这一点，并以详细的规划，辛勤的工作，诚实和对私营部门的真正支持为后盾。”

托比阁下说，这需要领导层认识到这一需求，并鼓励公民共同努力，以不同的方式做事。因此，我们需要反思我们过去做事的方式，并尝试更好地调动和利用我们拥有的资源。

托比阁下说：“这需要领导层尊重真相，避免分裂，接受我们已经做了足够的政治，现在是我们专注于发展和将我们联系在一起的事情的时候了，将国家利益置于个人和政党利益之上，团结起来，作为一个拥有共同命运的民族应对我们的发展挑战。”

Review Aspects of Constitution to Meet Devt Aspirations -Togbe Afede

The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, has called for a review of some aspects of the 1992 Constitution to meet the country’s development aspirations.

He said the amendments should, among others, reduce the powers of the President, modify the indemnity clauses, put caps on the number of ministries, constituencies, among others.

That, he said, would also strengthen the independent constitutional bodies to make them more formidable to promote good governance and development.

Togbe Afede, who is also an investment banker, made the call in a 14-page statement dated December 8 that he issued, titled “Our self-inflicted monumental economic crisis.”

The call by the respected traditional ruler follows similar calls by some prominent citizens and legal luminaries for aspects of the Constitution to be reformed to reflect the exigencies of the time.

The President of the Asogli Traditional Area observed “The excessive powers of the President, for example, and the indemnity clause that ensures that he cannot be held to account, have encouraged reckless abuse of power, and are at the root of corruption in our country.”

“Our President appoints people to thousands of positions and can dismiss them at will, virtually. It is the main reason why many of our institutions are politicised and weak,” he stated.

Togbe Afede noted that the above issues and challenges were the result of the virtual bastardisation of many of the country’s constitutional bodies, saying Parliament, for example, had been very ineffective, while the judiciary has been perceived to be politicised, leading to mistrust.

These, he said, had contributed to the creation of a chaotic and toxic political environment.

“Many have lost faith in the courts, and their ability to ensure justice when rights are trampled upon. And when at the same time Parliament has been weak and toothless, freedom and justice became imperilled, making a complete mockery of our democracy,” he stated.

“Many other institutions have also failed us because they have been weakened by the loss of their independence, with adverse consequences for the nation’s development. The Council of State, Electoral Commission, National Media Commission, Public Services Commission, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, National Commission on Civic Education, Lands Commission and even the military, the police service and chieftaincy have all become politicised,” he observed.

We can turn it around

Togbe Afede noted that the country had what it would take to turn around the current economic situation that it found itself in, which has brought pain to many of the citizenry.

“The resources needed are right here. We can do it with a bold compelling vision backed by detailed planning, hard work, honesty and genuine support for the private sector,” he said.

This, he said, would require leadership that recognised the need and encouraged the citizens to work together and do things differently. So, we need to reflect on the way we have done things in the past, and try to mobilise and utilise better the resources that we have,” Togbe Afede said.

“It would require leadership that respects the truth, eschews divisiveness and accepts that we have done enough politics, and that it is time we focus on development and the things that bind us together, put the interest of the nation ahead of personal and party interests, and unite to confront our development challenges as one people with a common destiny,” he added.

来源：加纳图文在线

编译：草语云言