Mahama Ayariga is calling for the impeachment of Akufo-Addo for refusing to sign the “witchcraft bill”

Bawku Central Member of Parliament (MP), Mahama Ayariga, has accused President Akufo-Addo of violating the 1992 Constitution by refusing to assent to the “Witchcraft Bill.”

Mr Ayariga argued that the President missed the opportunity to object to the Bill before Parliament passed it.

According to him, once the bill is passed, the President cannot unilaterally decide not to assent and should instead take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Following the Speaker’s ruling, the former Information Minister called for Parliament to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President.

“I think that what we should be beginning to do now is to trigger the constitutional provisions for impeaching the president. President Akufo-Addo has violated the constitution and we must not take it lightly. We should begin to trigger that constitutional provision to have him impeached,” Mr Ayariga said on the floor of parliament today, Friday, 22 December 2023.

The NDC MP’s assertion follows President Akufo-Addo’s refusal to sign into law three bills that have been passed by Parliament.

According to the president, some of the bills infringe on the constitution of the Republic, hence, his refusal to sign those bills.

The bills are two amendments to the Criminal and other Offences Act to criminalise accusations of witchcraft and abolish the death penalty and the Wildlife Resources Bill.