The period given to the president to relocate from his official residence after losing an election is not adequate, Dr Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, a political science lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has said.
“I am not saying this president will lose the election, but supposing he lost, would he have one month? No, because from 7th December, after the elections and 7th January, are we saying that within that period he will be able to organise himself and leave?” he questioned.
He was responding to a section of the Presidential Transition Bill which was passed by Ghana’s parliament on Wednesday October 26, which stipulates in Section 6 (a), Sub-section 2 that: “Any other person who ceases to hold office on the assumption of office of the person elected as president and is in occupation of an official residence shall vacate the residence within one month and not later than three month after that assumption of office.”
Sub-section (3) said: “Where a person fails to comply with sub-section (2), the Administrator General shall evict that person in occupation of the premises”.
In an interview with Prince Minkah on Class FM’s Executive Breakfast Show on Thursday, October 27, Dr Adu-Gyamfi held the opinion that if such a directive would be effective, then elections must be held several months to the date of the handing over.
“I think if we want to do this and do it right, we should be looking at Election Day. If we could have it in about three months [to handing over], then it gives the president the opportunity to move and move well in terms of packing bag and baggage to a new apartment,” he said.
For him, this would also allow for a smooth transition and if this is not done with “a short time for people to rush and hand over, a lot of ground will not be covered with no proper handing over, which will also affect the performance of [the next] government”.
He stressed that governance must be continuous and if one party loses, there should not be any gaps. He, thus, suggested that “the in-coming president and the out-going could work together for about four months before the new president finally takes over”.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
