Akufo-Addo’s reasons for not signing anti-witchcraft bill untenable – Kpebu
Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner, believes President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s failure to sign the anti-witchcraft law will harm the country’s democracy.
President Akufo-Addo stated that he did not sign the measure because of probable financial consequences to the country’s consolidated treasury.
Kpebu, on the other hand, does not accept such an excuse, believing it is unacceptable for the President to voice such concerns months after the bill’s initial adoption.
Kpebu questioned the timing of the President’s concerns during an interview with Eyewitness News, claiming that Akufo-Addo had previously backed one death penalty measure while hesitating on others, including the Armed Forces measure and the anti-witchcraft law enacted in July.
“I will say that it is not right for the president to come too late in the day to say that he is not able to assent because it imposes charges on the consolidated fund. So the question is, at the time he was signing the first death penalty, you knew the death penalty laws were two. There is the one that has to do with Act 29, which he has already signed, and there is the Armed Forces Law and the witchcraft law that he has not signed. That law was passed in July, so it baffles me that the president is coming now, after several months, to say no, he doesn’t think that’s the right thing to do.”
Mr. Kpebu repeated that he sees no financial cost associated with the bill’s passing, as asserted by the President.
He highlighted that the President’s refusal to approve the anti-witchcraft bill after enacting the death sentence will be detrimental to the country.
“We did a presentation with Amnesty International. I made the presentation to the President to amend Act 29, and the president nodded in admiration. The then Attorney-General, Gloria Akuffo, and Ambrose Dery were there. They didn’t do it, and Sosu did, and the president was happy that at least the Private Members Bill had resulted, so he signed the first one joyously. So I think that this thing he is doing is sending our democracy back.”
He urged the government to reconsider his decision as it could affect the country’s social equality.