Former Member of Parliament, Inusah Fuseini, has expressed support for the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s request to change the election date to December 7, 2024.
During an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, January 16, he pointed out that Article 21(c) of the Constitution affirms the right of every individual to freedom of worship, the practice of religion, and the manifestation thereof.
“What the Seventh-day Adventist Church is saying is that they believe that Saturday which is their Sabbath will not permit them to take part in the voting and they are relying on inclusivity and participation of the election, and they request this date be changed to a Tuesday. That will require a constitutional amendment obviously and whether the government has appetite to do that is another matter. They are right in demanding,” he stressed.
The church has submitted separate petitions to the Electoral Commission, requesting a change in the election date from the traditional December 7. This appeal stems from the fact that December 7 falls on a Saturday, conflicting with the Sabbath, a sacred day devoted to the worship of God.
Proposing either the first or second Tuesday as more suitable alternatives to uphold inclusive democracy, the church is also actively pursuing a constitutional amendment by submitting another petition to the Attorney General. This amendment aims to modify the constitutional provisions restricting the timing of parliamentary and presidential elections in Ghana.
In emphasizing the importance of addressing the church’s concerns, former Member of Parliament Inusah Fuseini asserted that if the government values the church’s role in influencing the presidency, it should take their requests seriously.
Moreover, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, a member of Parliament’s Christian Fellowship, disclosed that Parliament is awaiting the Attorney General’s guidance on the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s plea for a revision of the December 7 date. He clarified that the petition has not yet reached the attention of Parliament, considering it news to him.
“We are waiting if the Attorney General will listen to them and bring it to us. Then, we will look at the petition and whether there is merit in taking that amendment at all.”
The Ho West MP pointed out that even though the date of December 7 has been set in stone, their petition should be given some consideration so that the nation can make a decision, considering their sizeable membership.
“If you look at the numbers of about 395,000 members, it clearly shows that it has at least close to about one per cent of Ghana’s population and so it is worth listening to them and also look at the merit in it,” he added.
Martin Kpebu, a Private Legal Practitioner, has proposed the implementation of early voting for the church, akin to the practice for security agencies.
He suggests that this could be accomplished if the state is willing to bear the associated costs.
However, he acknowledges that the potential drawback of this approach is that it may place an additional burden on opposition parties.