The Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has criticised Ghana’s legal framework, arguing that it is too outdated to effectively tackle corruption in its modern forms.
Speaking as a reviewer at the 5th Constitution Day Public Lecture, delivered by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng under the theme “A Few Good Men: Suppressing and Repressing Corruption and State Capture in Aid of Development”, Prof. Prempeh emphasised the urgent need for legal reforms to enhance anti-corruption efforts.
While acknowledging that the current constitution provides certain mechanisms for fighting corruption, he maintained that many of Ghana’s legal doctrines and institutions remain antiquated, making it difficult to address the increasingly sophisticated nature of corruption.
“There are tools within the constitution, even as it stands today. It is not perfect, but it does contain provisions that could serve as the foundation for a credible fight against corruption,” he remarked. However, he warned that without significant legal innovation, Ghana’s efforts to combat corruption would remain inadequate.
“I believe our legal institutions and doctrines are far too archaic for the times we live in. Corruption evolves constantly, yet we continue to rely on laws dating as far back as 1962. In developed nations, legislation is regularly updated to counter emerging threats. Our outdated legal framework is simply not fit for purpose,” he asserted.
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