PROFESSOR FREDRICK Sai, Chairperson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Transition Team during the 2000 and 2001 transition periods has called on parliament to pass the Transition Bill.
He said the bill will help to clearly define timing of the transition process of handing over executive and administrative power to prevent any leadership vacuum.
Prof. Sai was speaking at a seminar organized by the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) on the theme, “Reflections on Issues in Political and Administrative Transitions.”
Prof. Sai expressed worry about the delay in the passage of the bill which would allow a smooth handing over of state power without incriminating the losing party.
“When the bill is passed, issues such as the proper exit procedure for both the president and his ministers of state, payment of their end-of-service benefits as well as asset handling will be solved,” he said
He said it would also help prevent the negative confrontations that normally characterize the process.
Prof Sai said the period between the declaration of election results and handing over to the incoming government usually created a leadership vacuum where all manner of crime and indiscipline thrived to become serious security threats to the country.
He said it was therefore critical that ample time for handing over was allowed to sustain national cohesion, safety and security.
He called for attitudinal change on the part of all political leaders and the need for in-depth media education to enable journalists understand that a change of government was entirely different from overthrowing a government and educate the public as such.
Prof. Sai said apart from the establishment of a national institution for the transition process, there must be a national budget based on proper costing to cater for the entire process.
Paul Victor Obeng, Chairperson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Transition Team during the 2008 and 2009 transition periods agreed with Prof Sai that an institution backed by legislation to ensure peaceful transitions of state governance should be established.
Mr. Obeng said Ghana was in a learning curve in her multi-party democratic dispensation and that it was critical that she mature by updating her efforts to sustain her credentials as a shining example of liberal multiparty democracy in Africa.
He stressed on active leadership education and growth in thinking in respect to responsibilities and challenges in opting for multiparty democracy.
The IDEG seminar was attended by participants from ministries, departments and agencies, traditional institutions, development partners, the academia, private sector, civil society organizations and the media.
By Cephas Larbi
