General News of Thursday, 4 January 2018

Source: kasapafmonline.com

Government to mark 25 years of Fourth Republic

The Fourth Republic has witnessed the election of five presidents The Fourth Republic has witnessed the election of five presidents

Government is set to mark the Silver Jubilee of the Fourth Republic of the country with a thanksgiving service at the Independence Square in Accra.

The programme will take place on December 7, 2018 at 3:00 pm.

The government says the programme is intended to celebrate the “goodness of the Lord” for a stable democracy under the Fourth Republic in 25 years.

The first regime of the Fourth Republic saw the reign of Former President Jerry John Rawlings, whose leadership transitioned from a military government to a constitutional rule in response to demands for a more democratic process concerning the governing of the country.

After two terms in office, barred by the constitution from standing in any election, Rawlings endorsed his vice-president John Atta Mills as presidential candidate in 2000.

Other leaders under the Fourth Republic are ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, late Professor John Evans Atta Mills and ex-President John Dramani Mahama.

The Fourth Republic is currently headed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who was elected in December 2016.

The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana that came into effect on January 7, 1993, provides the basic charter for the country’s fourth attempt at republican democratic government since independence in 1957.

It declares Ghana to be a unitary republic with sovereignty residing in the Ghanaian people. Drawn up with the intent of preventing future coups, dictatorial government, and one party states, it is designed to foster tolerance and the concept of power-sharing.

The document reflects the lessons drawn from the abrogated constitutions of 1957, 1960, 1969, and 1979, and it incorporates provisions and institutions drawn from British and United States constitutional models.