Mr. Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister, has appealed to media practitioners to make a thorough assessment of the Government White Paper on the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) for Ghanaians to appreciate the needed amendment of the Constitution.

He said the media were the “eyes and ears” of the people and that it was imperative for them to painstakingly study the White Paper, understand it well and help carry out the necessary sensitization on the report.

Mr. Mabengba made the appeal in Tamale at the weekend at the close of a two-day media engagement on the report of the Constitution Review Commission and the Government White Paper on the report.

The programme is the first in the series to be held across the country as part of sensitizing the media on the Commission’s report and Government’s White Paper.

The two-day programme discussed issues arising from the reports which included the CRC processes, methodology, key outcomes and way forward; chapter after chapter, participants had varied views and opinions.

About 100 media practitioners from the Upper West, Upper East and the Northern Regions as well as some prominent chiefs and queen mothers from the three Northern Regions took part in the engagement.

Mr. Mabengba said the NDC government was a “promise fulfilling” government and that the Constitution Review and the possible amendment of the 1992 Constitution was one major campaign promise of President Mills which was almost fulfilled.

“I have a lot of respect for the Ghanaian media and I know for sure that the discussions that have taken place here will be properly disseminated for the people to understand the need for the Constitutional amendment”, he said.

Mr. Raymond Atuguba, Executive Secretary of the CRC, said the media engagement was very important since the Commission could not disseminate the content of the reports successfully without media involvement.

Some contents of the report that participants sought clarifications included gays and their rights, lease on lands, management of natural resources, appointment of National Media Commission (NMC) chairman, chiefs participation in partisan politics, the election of District Chief Executives (DCEs) and why by-elections are not conducted when an Assembly Member dies.

Participants also blamed some chiefs who marry minors as part of their tradition and indicated that the practice was an abuse on children’s rights since the practice affects their education and development.

Former Commission members headed by their chairman, Professor Albert Fiadjoe took turns to answer questions from participants.**